Murder in Kyoto
by Umeko
Summary: AU. Period piece featuring crossovers with Peacemaker Kurogane & Samurai X Rurouni Kenshin . When the famous peacemaker Sakamoto Ryoma is murdered in Kyoto, special investigator Dan Morihiko is called in. How can 14-year-old Renjo Kyu help his mentor?
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: All the Detective School Q, Rurouni Kenshin and Peacemaker Kurogane characters belong to their respective creators. Slight OOC-ness expected

AU. This is my first time doing a crossover involving 3 manga series. The timeline is set during the late Bakumatsu. Some 21st century DDS characters will be appearing in period roles. I will be introducing some of my own characters from my PMK and RK fanfics, including old favourites like feisty Aunt Umeko and the sharp-tongued morgue keeper Kitsu-dono. For the purpose of this story, there will be some tweaking of history. So history-buffs and purists, you have been warned.

* * *

**Chapter 1**

_Kyoto, 1867, late evening_

"How's working at the Dan household, Ryu?" The youth froze in the middle of stuffing a piece of firewood into the flames. "Tell him everything is under control, Kerberos," Amakusa Ryu chucked the wood and whispered hastily as the ninja leapt down from the roof. "You have not been reporting back recently, Ryu," the ninja accused.

"Because there is nothing to report," Ryu retorted. "Besides Dan-sensei coming down with a cold and Nanami-san losing to a kid at shogi. So scat." Irked, Ryu flung a piece of wood in Kerberos' direction. Kerberos dodged it skilfully.

"You didn't report regarding the newcomer."

"You mean Renjo Kyu? He's just some kid from Edo calling on Dan-sensei, son of a friend or something. Chances are, he'll be out joining the army soon," Ryu growled as he stoked the fire. Dan-sensei would need his bathwater warm and Ryu was running out of time to heat up the bath. Dan-sensei's an honourable man and Ryu felt bad about his deceit. Dan's kind to all his servants, including Ryu. Little did he suspect Ryu was working as a spy for the Meiousei ninja clan. Yet, Ryu had to obey his grandfather, the leader of the clan.

"Ah, Renjo. That name sounds familiar… Ah, yes, Dan's former right hand man. A point example in the dangers of walking about this city at night," Kerberos smirked. "I trust our old invalid has no visitors recently?"

"If he did I was not aware of it," Ryu whispered. Kerberos suddenly tensed, drew his kodachi and seized Ryu roughly round the neck threateningly. "We're not the only ones watching Dan's residence, so hush," he whispered hastily.

"Harassing servant boys? I never thought you lot would stoop so low." A few shurikens whizzed through the air and hit the bathhouse wall next to Kerberos. The ninja loosened his grip and Ryu broke free, acting the part of a terrified servant. He scooted away to the safety of the woodpile, thankful for the interruption.

"Ah, you must be Meiousei's agent," the other ninja emerged from the shadows of the gingko tree. He was older than Kerberos. Kerberos watched him cautiously. "Oniwabansu. Judging by your stiff joints, you must be Okina. What brings you to Kyoto?" Kerberos dodged a few more shuriken and somersaulted onto the roof. His opponent joined him.

"Why? The pretty girls of course. Has Meiousei resorted to harassing servant boys for information?" Okina spat. Among the ninja, the Meiousei were thought of as opportunists with no loyalty whatsoever. "That little incident involving the Makimachi household was your dirty work wasn't it?"

"Regrettable but necessary. All's fair in war, old timer," Kerberos shrugged. He should have guessed the Oniwabanshu would have figured things out quickly, especially after a consultation with Dan.

"Fair? Putting up some dim-witted servant girl to murder because your bunch is too lily-livered to do your own killing? Bring it on you coward!" Okina drew his tonfa.

"Well, you'll be singing a different tune if Makimachi lived long enough to deliver his end of the bargain to you," Kerberos held his sword ready. He could not use hypnosis against a master ninja who was probably well-versed in the technique. Steel clashed on wood as they fought.

Ryu watched from the darkness behind the storehouse. Whistles sounded and the thundering of feet broke the silence. The silhouettes of the two fighters against the moon have been spotted by the watch. Hastily, the ninjas fled into the darkness. The watch pounded hard against the gate of Dan's residence. "Open up! Open up before we smash in…"

"Coming!" Ryu ran over, but Kyu beat him to it. "Hey, Kintaro-san! Whoa!" Kyu greeted the first patrolman who bustled in and knocked both boys to the ground. "They're gone," Kintaro exclaimed in surprise as he glanced about at the roofs.

"Have you been hitting the Sake Shack before patrol, Toyama?" A battle-scarred senior watchman reprimanded. "No, Hougou-senpai. I swear!" Toyama Kintaro protested. The commotion had roused the attention of the entire household. Nanami was running out barefoot from his room. Katagiri Shino the housekeeper and Yukihira, Dan's niece, followed still in their kitchen aprons. Katagiri held a lantern aloft. The master of the house was probably sitting propped up in that odd Western-style chair in his room, wondering what was going on. Ryu glanced at Kyu and wondered how long he had been outside in the compound.

"Shinsengumi First Patrol! Stop you rebels!" Before the watchmen could recover, a group of a dozen men were charging towards them, swords drawn. The more timid of the watchmen started to retreat at the sight of the infamous wolves of Mibu.

"Oh merciful Buddha!" Kintaro cursed. Nanami dashed forward to seize Kyu and Ryu, pulling them a safe distance from the impeding medley. They couldn't close the gate, not with half the night watch standing frozen on their threshold. Yukihira screamed. Katagiri cautiously pressed herself against the wall of the building, conveniently within easy reach of a wood-axe.

Hougou stood his ground, clutching his weapon, a jutte, the pronged staff used by the Edo era policemen. The leader of the pack, a short redhead, obviously took the retreat as an admission of guilt. He charged. Hougou immediately stepped in, using his jutte to deflect the deadly blade as it fell. The blade skirted close enough to draw a thin line of blood from Hougou's exposed forearm.

"Captain, this is a misunderstanding! We're the night watch…" he tried to explain.

"Pah! A likely story!" The redhead spat as they grappled. Surprisingly, the other members of the Shinsengumi patrol held back. A murmur of confusion was passing through them. "Shinpachi, stand down immediately!" A gruff voice ordered. The captain stepped back. The Shinsengumi ranks parted to allow a tall dark samurai to pass. Leaning on the samurai's arm was a slight figure wearing a cloak with the hood pulled up. The figure was coughing slightly.

"Vice-chief Hijikata," Nagakura Shinpachi, de facto captain of the First Patrol, hurriedly sheathed his blade. "We saw a man, likely wounded… acting suspiciously… so we gave chase…" Hijikata held up a hand to stop Nagakura.

"Our work is done here," Hijikata said curtly. "Men, back to barracks!" In silence, the Wolves of Mibu stalked off. "Thank heavens," Hougou gave a brief prayer of thanks that he and his unit had emerged from the encounter with little bloodshed. "Baka Miburou," Kintaro cursed under his breath. Hougou ripped a makeshift bandage from his sleeve and tied it round his wound. Since the damned Shinsengumi set up camp in the city, life had become hazardous for the police, more from getting killed by their fellow so-called protectors of Kyoto rather than from outlaws, rebels or fires put together.

"What is the commotion?" Dan's voice called out. The invalid was sitting in that odd Western-style chair Nanami built for him, pushed by a red-haired youth Ryu was certain he had not seen enter the compound. The teen had a plaster on one cheek and a sword in his belt. He was probably a samurai. "Dan-sensei, everything is under control. Just a little misunderstanding…" Nanami said reassuringly. He turned to the watch. "As you could see, kind sir, the intruders have left the compound. You may search if you wish…"

Instead, Hougou gave an order for his men to leave. "See you tomorrow, Kintaro-san!" Kyu waved cheerfully to Kintaro. "Yeah, see you round," a shaky Kintaro returned the wave before hastily following his comrades out.

"Himura-san, sorry to trouble you. Perhaps we should continue our conversation inside. Would you mind if my assistant joined us?" Dan said to the redhead youth.

"Not at all, if he can be trusted…" Himura's eyes scanned the household. "Can I help, Dan-sensei?" Kyu asked eagerly. "No, bed, now!" Nanami ordered. "Aw," Kyu sighed in disappointment. He so wanted to help Dan-sensei, just like his father did. "You too, Ryu. There is no place for you boys in sensei's work yet," Nanami added.

Ryu bowed and took Kyu by the arm. "Good night, Dan-sensei. Nanami-sensei. Dan-sensei's bath is ready. If you need me to reheat the bath…"

"It will not be necessary. I wouldn't be taking a bath tonight… perhaps you boys could use one," Dan replied when he saw their torn and dusty clothes.

* * *

**Author's Notes:**

Miburou – Wolves of Mibu, a reference to the Shinsengumi. The Bakumatsu was a time of widespread turmoil in Japan. The Shinsengumi is a paramilitary outfit active in Kyoto region during this period. They are pro-Shogunate. However, they did not always get along with the other pro-Shogunate fractions. In that era, killing your enemies as a samurai is socially acceptable and probably expected as a duty.

Jutte – pronged staff-like weapon used by law enforcement of the period, about 18 inches in length. Only the samurai class were allowed by law to carry swords or katana.

Tonfa – Okina's weapon of choice is a set of paired sticks, which can be used to strike or stab an opponent. Ninjas might carry shorter swords known as kodachi on their missions. The star-shaped dart or shuriken is another ninja favourite, and is often dipped in poison beforehand for maximum effect. I made the Meiousei a ninja clan. Kerberos probably makes a good ninja. Any complaints about Ryu being a humble servant instead of a prince?

In Tokugawa Japan, Fifteen was considered adult for boys. So at 14, Ryu and Kyu are almost grownup but not quite yet.


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: All the Detective School Q, Rurouni Kenshin and Peacemaker Kurogane characters belong to their respective creators. Slight OOC-ness expected. AU.

* * *

**Chapter 2**

Kyu gingerly started to lower himself into the warm water next to Ryu. "Amakusa, do you mind if I call you Ryu?" Kyu had been staying for them for three days now and Ryu was still trying to work out what his purpose was. Ryu shared his sleeping quarters with Nanami and the newcomer. Renjo was forever smiling and cheerful, even in such gloomy times.

"As you wish Renjo," Ryu murmured. "Call me Kyu!" Kyu leaned over and slipped, falling face-first into the bath. "Help! I can't swim!" he thrashed about in the tub. "The water's only thigh-deep!" Ryu shouted. "Gee, you're right!" Kyu said in surprise as he sat up with the water up to his shoulders. "It's too bad Dan-sensei didn't want us to help this time. Ryu, are you here to learn from Dan-sensei too?"

"Nope, I'm here because of the food and board. Working as a servant beats the army any day," Ryu replied.

"Aw, Katagiri-san's cooking is alright, I guess, but I miss my mother's cooking… do you miss your folks too?"

"My parents died when I was very young. I never really knew them," Ryu replied.

"I never really knew my father," Kyu said wistfully. "Mother always says he is a good honourable man, who died saving Dan-sensei's life. She was quite upset when I said I wanted to come here to Kyoto, but I promised I wouldn't run off to join the army or something. She's alright with it if I work as Dan-sensei's helper… But Dan-sensei hasn't really agreed to let me stay as his helper yet…" Ryu closed his eyes. He had heard from Nanami regarding Renjo Satorou, the assistant killed shielding Dan-sensei from a ninja assassin's poisoned shuriken. Still, Dan received a wound from one of the deadly missiles which left him unable to walk for the last eight years. Dan was hesitant about Kyu and Ryu could see why. The boy was a disaster waiting to happen, a country bumpkin fresh from some small village near Edo…

"Ryu, who was that ninja you were talking to earlier? I was out for a pee when…" Ryu started. His cover just got blown. _Well, accidents always happen in the bath, don't they?_ "Ryu, wouldn't it be cool if you could introduce me to your ninja friend? We're friends now, right?" Kyu grinned. "I guess so, but he's not my friend," Ryu clenched his fists, debating the possibility of an accidental drowning incident happening to their guest. "I suppose so. It wasn't very nice when he used that nasty sword on you. Thank goodness that ramee stall owner showed up…"

"You mean that old ramee seller who keeps trying to pat Yukihira-san's bum in the marketplace?" Ryu asked. He would never have thought that ninja was the same man. "Yes, the weapons he was holding. I saw them at his stall yesterday. His granddaughter was playing with them," Kyu said.

"The old man might have to kill you if you tell everyone he is a ninja. Ninja types can be very touchy," Ryu advised. Kyu was hopeless where tact was considered.

"I guess there are a lot of interesting people in Kyoto… Like Toyama, he saved my life when I fell into the river…" Kyu chattered on.

* * *

_Three days ago, morning…_

"_Wow! Kyoto is so busy!" a young traveller remarked as he stood in the middle of the bridge. He needed to find Dan's residence. _

"_Tetsunosuke, get back here now!" a redhead youth ran through the crowd, pursued by his annoyed brother. "I swear I don't have it!" _

"_Give it to me!" His brother caught up with him at the bridge and the duo started grappling with each other. They accidentally bumped the traveller over the edge of the bridge. SPLASH!_

"_Help! I can't swim!" Toyama Kintaro groaned at the cry for help. Why must such things always happen on his day off when Kaoru's waiting for him? Still, he leapt into the river and rescued the young traveller named Renjo Kyu. _

* * *

Ryu shrugged. Dan-sensei would definitely send Kyu home shortly. Ryu shelved any notions of silencing their guest. Kyu emerged from the tub and dried off. Feeling his fingertips puckering, Ryu followed Kyu's example. The water was starting to cool.

* * *

_Dan Morihiko's study_

"Himura, one of the issues your master wishes us to look into is a somewhat personal matter that it would be best if he asked his kinswoman himself," Dan remarked. "I apologize on my master's behalf," Himura Kenshin bowed. "It is sensitive but the lady has been uncooperative… Such a matter, if true, can be damaging not only to the lady's but my master's reputation…"

"I understand. The other matter of the discrepancies in the clan's accounts… My assistant, Nanami, will look over the books you have given us. I assure you that he is trustworthy." Nanami bowed acknowledging his mentor's praise.

"There is still one more matter. This," Kenshin pulled out a piece of paper from his sleeve. "It was left on our door this morning, along with a pile of manure which I cleaned before the others got up. He is unaware of it. Is it a prank or a threat?" Dan stared at the paper. _Stinky liar._ The childish letters were written in…

"Takoyaki sauce," Dan sniffed the paper. "How high was the paper stuck onto the door?" Kenshin pondered the question. "About here…" he held his hand at the standing thigh-level of an adult.

"I believe you have an idea who your culprits are," Dan smiled. "In fact, you are confident enough that this is no threat for you to leave your master's side this evening. You are only here to confirm your suspicions with me."

Kenshin slapped his knee. "Of course, they were eating takoyaki last night. And they spent the night in the stables." The Seikeihou Troop had suffered a budget cut and Sagara's request for assistance was turned down by Katsura due to the lack of funds. Sagara had taken the refusal graciously. The two youngsters with him, however, may be upset and rash enough to pull such a prank. _As to whether Sagara would hear of his two recruits' ill discipline_… Kenshin shrugged. He might speak with the captain if their paths crossed again.

"Looks like rain," the invalid looked out as a roll of thunder sounded. His guest nodded. The lamp flickered. The lamp light was reflected in his cat-like, watchful eyes. An uneasy feeling washed over Kenshin. He really ought to be at his master's side, but Katsura was in good hands, wasn't he? He clutched at his belt, to reassure himself his sword was still there. His fingers brushed against the now-ragged scarf wound round the hilt.

"Would you be staying the night, Himura-san?" Dan offered. "Apologies, Dan-sensei. I must return to Katsura-sama's…" Himura declined. Dan nodded. The samurai was young, but a veteran of the bloody times. Himura Kenshin was more than capable of protecting himself, given his status not only as Katsura's page, but also his personal bodyguard.

* * *

_A few streets away…_

"Sakamoto-san?" a large man rapped on the door of the house. "I must talk to Sakamoto." He tried the door and was perturbed to find it unlocked. Cautiously, he entered. It was unlike the place to be unoccupied. Sakamoto was ill with a bad cold and both he and his secretary Nakaoka should be in. The place was quiet. A hearth fire flickered in the side-room.

"Sakamoto? Oh crap!" the man staggered back at the bloody sight that greeted him. _Not good…_ he accidentally knocked over the cooling bowl of medicine on the table. The rain poured down as the visitor made his escape from the scene. He tripped at the entrance, got up and fled barefoot.

The alarm would only be raised in the morning by Sakamoto's eleven-year-old page.

* * *

**Author's Notes: **

The murder has occurred. Sakamoto Ryoma was an important figure during that era. He was assassinated in November (lunar calendar) or December 1867 in Kyoto. Initial reports accused members of the Shinsengumi for Ryoma and Nakaoka Shintaro's death (and Shinsengumi leader Kondo Isami was allegedly executed on that pretence), but another pro-Bakufu group, the Mimawarigumi's Imai Nobuo confessed to the murder in 1870 (probably under torture). Although Sasaki Tadasaburo and Imai Nobuo carry the blame, the true assassin has never been proven in a court of law.

This fic is AU and may not follow the historical facts stated above.


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: All the Detective School Q, Rurouni Kenshin and Peacemaker Kurogane characters belong to their respective creators. Slight OOC-ness expected. AU.

**Chapter 3**

"Murder! Help!" A terrified youngster screamed as he stumbled out of the house. "Murder!" The boy fell, spilling his bag of yuzu oranges. "Help!" It was still early and the street outside was quiet. Most of the few passers-by avoided the near-hysterical page. A young girl stood stock-still holding her marketing basket. Her hair was tied in two ponytails. "Narusawa-san," she called out, recognizing one of their regular customers. "Calm down. What happened?"

The page turned round and pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose. "Megumi-san, there's been a murder! My master, Sakamoto-sama… he's dead…"

"Sakamoto Ryoma the peacemaker, dead?" Minami Megumi exclaimed. She had heard of the great man's reputation and seen him on the many occasions he dined at the small restaurant where she and her sister worked. Aunt Umeko was going to be upset. One would expect hysterics and tears and probably Umeko calling her brother's page to hunt down the killer and…

"What's the commotion?" Shinsengumi chief, Kondo Isami, and a small knot of his men swaggered over. The Miburou were out of uniform, being off duty. "My master has been murdered!" Kazuma wailed before collapsing to his knees sobbing inconsolably. "Get a grip on yourself, boy! We need you to identify the dead," one of the men yanked Kazuma to his feet and pulled the terrified boy towards the scene of the bloodshed.

"Toshi, aren't you being too harsh?" his companion Kondo Isami called out in alarm. Hijikata had been in a foul mood recently. Worried, Megumi followed the pair and soon regretted it when she saw the scene inside. She bolted out, closely followed by Kazuma, who had torn free of Hijikata's grip. The pair stopped by the gutter, pale and shaken. Kazuma was throwing up into the ditch. "Hey, brat! I didn't say you could leave!" Hijikata seized Kazuma's arm again.

"A fine thing to see, a grown man bullying a little kid!" a woman called out as she wheeled her cart to a stop, blocking the path of the men. "I was told to collect some dead bodies down by the river…" Megumi recognized the woman as the local morgue-keeper, Kitsu-dono. "When are you surrendering your carcass, Hijikata Toshizo?"

"The bodies are inside," Hijikata decided to ignore the morgue-keeper's jibe. He released Kazuma. The woman shrugged, took Kazuma's hand and placed it in Megumi's. "Take this young man over to Umeya for a hot cup of tea… you could do with one yourself," she whispered to Megumi.

"Yes, ma'am…" a shaken Megumi took the young boy by the wrist and hurried away, leaving Kitsu-dono and the Shinsengumi to deal with the aftermath. What she had witnessed was burnt into her memory. She was certain those images would haunt her sleep for a long time.

* * *

"Aunt Umeko, these orange mochi cakes are delicious!" Kyu waved cheerfully to the plump restaurant owner. Katsura Umeko, elder sister of the Ishin leader Katsura Kogoro, acknowledged the compliment with a smile as she pottered about. Every regular customer, waitress or kitchen help knew her as Aunt Umeko. Although he was new in town, Kyu had already gotten into her good books as evidenced by the extra mochi cakes she put before him. Ryu chewed at his red bean pancake listlessly.

"Not hungry, Ryu? Of course, it is probably a bit too soon after Shino-san's breakfast for brunch…" Yukihira Sakurako remarked. "This place is famous for its sweets, Kyu… You should consider buying some for your folks before you return to Edo." Kyu shook his head. "Dan-sensei spoke to me this morning. I can stay!" Kyu beamed. Ryu dropped his pancake. Megumi stepped into the restaurant with Kazuma.

"Aunt Umeko, t-there has been a murder…" Megumi started. She sat Kazuma down on an empty seat next to Yukihira's table. Umeko did not pay attention. Assassinations and murders were far too commonplace in Kyoto. "Sakamoto-sama is dead!" Kazuma wailed. The matronly Aunt Umeko suddenly dropped the tray of mochi-cakes she was holding. Silently, she stalked off to the kitchen. Then…

"Lemme go, Kenni! I'm gonna tear that bastard limb from limb!" An enraged woman charged out wielding a naginata. Alarmed customers fled. Unfortunately for Yukihira and the boys, their table was nearest the commotion. All the trio could do was to duck under the table and out of the reach of the naginata's blade as a youth tackled the woman before she could leave the restaurant. "Umeko-dono! Please calm down and listen to seesha! Nami, Kiku, help me!" A redhead youth Ryu recognized as Dan-sensei's mysterious visitor was holding on to her, desperately trying to restrain her. The waitresses immediately went to the page's aid.

"Sorry, ma'am. I'm afraid I'll have to take this," Toyama Kintaro was passing by when he saw the commotion. He pried the deadly weapon loose from the woman, who collapsed in a flood of tears. "Alright, little buddy?" he asked the dishevelled page. The redhead nodded as Kinta returned the weapon to him, Nami, the head waitress, was trying to console her mistress. Megumi recovered sufficiently to get some warm tea from the kitchen to calm the others.

"Can we help?" Kyu asked. Megumi looked at him. "You?"

* * *

"The rumours are spreading, Kondo-san," the Shinsengumi's spy, Yamazaki Susumu, reported a few hours later to the chiefs. "There are whispers you ordered it…"

"What are they saying? We have handed the investigations over to the Kyoto police, since they gave us our new orders," Hijikata took a drag on his pipe. The spy hesitated before continuing. "Folks said that we killed Sakamoto, the same way we killed Serizawa and blamed bandits…"

"Pah, those simpletons will say whatever nonsense they will," Hijikata snorted. "Leave them be…" Kondo frowned. Their group's reputation had always been bad.

"There are indications that Itou has a hand in these rumours… His men were seen hanging about the market…" Yamazaki continued cautiously. Hijikata let loose a string of curses. If his arch-rival Itou was involved, there was no way he trusted the likes of the local police. Who knew how many of them were in Itou's pay.

He stepped out onto the veranda. "Saitou!" he yelled. He expected the man to be reporting to him soon.

"Behind you, Hijikata-san," a voice called out. Hijikata turned to be greeted by the sight of the unobtrusive third patrol captain.

"Is Itou interfering with the investigations?" Saitou Hajime shrugged. "The police have put Hougou Tatsumi in charge of the investigations. So far, he is an impartial man, not open to bribes, but he is only a low ranking officer. I have no guarantees that Itou will not interfere at a higher level. You do realise that his goal is to destroy the Shinsengumi and nothing will make his day more than to see both you and Kondo-san on the execution grounds."

"My, that is a cheerful thought. Any suggestions?" Hijikata growled sarcastically.

"I would suggest seeking the assistance of the special investigator of unusual incidents, Dan Morihiko. He is a man who is recognized for his achievements by both the Emperor and the Shogun, having solved many mysterious incidents in the past."

"Is he in the city?" Hijikata asked. Both Yamazaki and Saitou nodded. "However, he has been retired for the last eight years. He hasn't left his home and they claim he is in ailing health," the spy volunteered.

"It can't be helped then," Kondo said with a sigh.

"Nonsense! He will look into this case, even if I have to drag him from his deathbed!" Hijikata roared and stomped off. Various recruits hurriedly got out of the way of the infamous Demon Vice-Chief.

"Mou, Kondo-san? Toshi's in a bad mood, isn't he?" a pale face peered out of one of the rooms. "Is he mad because I didn't take my medicine?"

"No, Souji. Please take your medicine this time," Kondo shook his head. There was no patient more stubborn than his young friend. "Sure, if you let me have those candied apples from Umeya," Okita Souji shut his door.

* * *

**Author's Notes: **

Katsura Umeko – Own character. Aged in her 40's, Ishin leader Katsura Kogoro's elder sister. Widowed, she is the proud and feisty owner of a Kyoto eatery, Umeya. She is on very good terms with her brother, Sakamoto Ryoma and a certain Shinsengumi captain with a sweet tooth. She appears in my fanfics _New Kyoto Post, The Japan Bulletin, Green Tea and Haiku_ and _Sake Shack LIVE_.

Kitsu-dono – Own character. Keeper of the local morgue. Has a sharp tongue she does not hesitate to use on samurai, in particular, Hijikata, whom she has a personal vendetta against.

Okita Souji and Saitou Hajime are taken from the Peacemaker Kurogane series (sorry Samurai X fans, no badass cop Saitou). Okita has a sweet tooth, keeps a small herd of pet pigs and is a bit childish at times (when off-duty). Compared to his Samurai X counterpart, Peacemaker's Saitou is deeply spiritual, has a knack for being unobtrusive (they should really use him as a spy), yet is no less deadly a swordsman.

Himura Kenshin (aka Kenni) – the lead character from Samurai X. At this point, he is a young man working for the Ishin faction under Katsura Kogoro. Estimated age about 17-ish.


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: All the Detective School Q, Rurouni Kenshin and Peacemaker Kurogane characters belong to their respective creators. Slight OOC-ness expected. AU.

**Chapter 4**

"My daughter, then my son, took off for Kyoto and I haven't heard from them in more than a year," a weary merchant from Edo pleaded. "Their names are Yukishiro Tomoe and Enishi…"

Nanami shook his head. Most missing persons cases had less than favourable endings given the situation of the past few years. Still, he jotted down the names of the missing pair and gently requested their description from their distraught father. He expected that he would be breaking bad news to the man, even if he could track down his missing offspring.

* * *

In his study and seated in his special chair, Dan looked at his visitors with interest. He never expected to see Himura calling on him in daylight. What was more shocking was the news of a murder his niece related, with the help of the victim's page and a sobbing woman who interestingly was the subject of a certain consultation the night before.

"Kyu, you really shouldn't be eavesdropping," Ryu chided. "I want to see Dan-sensei at work," Kyu wheedled as he pressed against the shoji. "If you want to see him work that badly, wouldn't it be better if you just come in?" an irate Himura pulled the door open so that the hapless boy fell face-first onto the tatami. "Ah, Kyu, do join us. You too, Ryu. I may have work for the both of you later," Dan invited them in.

Aunt Umeko knelt demurely next to Himura Kenhsin. Next to her was Narusawa Kazuma. Minami Megumi knelt on Kazuma's left. Kyu took a position next to Megumi and Ryu took the remaining position on the far left. "Why don't we start with you, young man? I understand you were the first on the scene," he gently coaxed the now-calmer page.

"I found the bodies," Kazuma related. "I was away visiting my folks and just got back to town this morning. I was to return yesterday but the bridge got washed out and I needed to spend the night in a small inn named Sakuraya along the main road. When I got there, the door was ajar and…" he paused and closed his eyes with a shudder. "I was about to go to the kitchen first, to clean up a bit… I looked into the room as I passed… I saw them lying there… Nakaoka-san was by the door, covered with blood. Sakamoto-sama was near his table. It scared me so I ran out…"

"How were bodies lying?" Dan asked. Given the ruckus raised, the bodies could well be on their way to the morgue. It was Megumi who answered.

"I saw them too. The secretary's body was lying near the door, face-down. There was a rat nibbling on some crumbs on an overturned plate nearby. He had a horrible wound to the back… Sakamoto-san was lying on his back, all covered with blood. He had been slashed across the chest… and… and…" Megumi suddenly felt ill. She could not continue. "Megumi, you don't look too good," Kyu said as he reached out to support her shaking body. "Ryu, please get some tea," Dan instructed. Ryu bowed politely before hastening away to the kitchen.

"He was murdered by them!" Umeko hissed vehemently. "Ryoma was going to tell my brother about the funds…" she clapped her hand over her mouth in shock. Both Himura and Dan were lokoing at her intently. "Guess I shouldn't have said that…"

"Did this have anything to do with the shortfall of funds and your trip with Sakamoto-san last week?" Himura asked. The matron nodded. "Yes. Someone has been placing orders with Sakamoto for certain goods using my brother's name. Ryoma got suspicious so he asked me if I could arrange a meeting with someone. We went disguised as a married couple and though we took a single room at the inn, nothing happened. You may tell my brother that if he cares to believe. Ryoma slept out despite my insisting that we could share, sleeping at opposite corners of the room… Poor Ryoma had caught a dreadful cold by the time we got back to town." She wiped a tear from the corner of her eye. "He always was an exceptional gentleman, even with his crazy ways…"

"Did you find out anything?" Himura asked. His eyes had turned a dangerous shade of gold. The woman shook her head. "We should have brought it to you, Dan-sensei. Takasugi-san had no idea where the goods were as he did not receive any. He did tell us that Yoshida is back after his disappearance in the Ikedaya incident. Of course, he may be delirious as he was running a fever when we met up. Everyone knows Yoshida was killed then. As for the other politics and stuff, I am only an ignorant woman."

Dan nodded. The goods Umeko referred to were most likely Western armaments imported by Sakamoto, who supplied them to the various clan armies. However, he had to disagree on whether she was really as ignorant as she claimed. Ryu returned with the tea.

"Would you have any idea how the business is conducted?" Dan asked both pages. "My master appointed a treasurer to manage the funds. An honest man with a uncomplicated mind. He only released the funds when given a letter of instruction with my master's seal and signature, both of which, unfortunately, can be imitated by those familiar with them," Himura stated.

"Sakamoto-sama's business makes deliveries to various addresses. Nakaoka-san would have the records somewhere. I don't know that much of the business as I only started working this spring. My father has a small business in Nagasaki but he thought I would fare better working up from scratch as a page…" Kazuma sobbed. "Sakamoto-san's a great master and he always tells me loads of interesting stories and shows me neat stuff from abroad."

Dan took his brush and doodled on a piece of rice-paper. "Have you seen this before?" he lifted the scrawl up for all to see.

"Ryoma's Western pistols," Umeko exclaimed. "Sakamoto-sama has a pair of them. He is a crack shot. I have seen him knock sake flasks off a wall at thirty yards and knock apples out of trees," Kzuma added. "He also carries a pair of samurai's swords with him."

"Were the weapons used in a struggle?" Dan asked. Both Megumi and Kazuma thought carefully. "Both swords were on their stand on the side-table, in their sheaths. My master was not going out…" Kazuma said. "Those Western pistols…" Megumi closed her eyes and replayed the scene in her mind's eye. "One was on the study table, opened up and splattered with blood… The other was in his hand..."

She was interrupted by pounding footsteps and Nanami barging in. "Dan-sensei! Bad news! The Miburou are…" that was as far as Nanami got before he was lifted up by the collar of his gi and shoved carelessly aside like a rag doll by the largest man Kyu had ever seen. Himura reached for his sword but Umeko placed a restraining hand on his wrist. Kazuma whimpered in fear. Megumi shrank back and held onto Kyu who was staring agog at the intruders. Ryu kept his face expressionless. Nanami moaned softly from where he had crashed into a cabinet.

"Dan Morihiko, come with us," the giant's pipe-smoking companion said.

* * *

"What a mess," Kintaro complained as he surveyed the aftermath. The bodies have been moved but the bloodstains were clearly visible on the furniture and tatami. "What's this?" A metallic gleam from the table caught his attention. Instinctively, he reached out for it…

"DON'T TOUCH IT!" Hougou hollered out a warning. "Do not touch anything here, understand, rookie?"

Kinta pulled his hand away as if he had been jolted with electricity. "Yessir! Sorry, sir!" Kinta bowed and apologised profusely. The place stank like a slaughterhouse. He supposed that it could rival the Serizawa murder a few years back in terms of violence. He stepped aside and accidentally kicked against the pistol's twin on the floor. It skipped across the room and into the wall.

BLAM! The pistol discharged. Immediately, all the policemen ducked for cover. The bullet lodged itself harmlessly in a room beam. "Oops, sorry guys…" Kinta apologised. His colleagues threw a few choice curses at him. Hougou glared daggers. Kinta stepped back. CRACK! He had stepped onto a porcelain bowl lying on the floor.

"I'll fix it…" the rookie frantically gathered up the shards. "OW!" he yelped as one cut his hand. "Toyama Kintaro, morgue duty, report now!" Hougou's patience finally ran out. He pointed in the direction of the door. Kinta had no choice but to leave as ordered by his senior.

"Damn stinky morgue duty…" he muttered. If the grisly remains and cloying stench of death weren't enough, the morgue was the domain of a certain sharp-tongued female Toyama Kintaro had already got into the bad books of. He was certain she would treat him to enough grisly sights to cost him his appetite for days. He lifted his hand to wipe his nose. "Medicine?" The herbal smell hit him.

**Author's Notes:**

Thanks for reviewing.

Kinta's having a bad day. Forensics is fairly primitive in those days, so no DNA or fingerprinting.

Sakamoto Ryoma in PMK can only be described as weird. He is a gungho, carefree daredevil who seems to get his kicks annoying the heck out of various members of the Shinsengumi and other assorted bakufu peacekeepers. His weapon of choice is the pistol. He favours cowboy hats and is prone to whistling distinctly American tunes like _Star Spangled Banner_ and peppering his speech with English.


	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: All the Detective School Q, Rurouni Kenshin and Peacemaker Kurogane characters belong to their respective creators. Slight OOC-ness expected. AU.

Kenshin is an interesting character. I really recommend the manga Rurouni Kenshin as well as the Reflections OVA for an insight into our redhead samurai's tragic past during the Bakumatsu. Imagine (accidentally) killing the woman you love… The only flaw I find with the series is reconciling our talented assassin with the Kenshin who keeps getting whacked by Kamiya Kaoru (grin). In the interval between the Bakumatsu and his being a Meiji policeman, RK Saitou seemed to have gotten nastier and more badass. Overall, I strongly recommend this series.

As for Peacemaker, the anime is good for laughs (Eh? These guys are Miburo?). The manga (Shinsengumi Imon Peacemaker and Peacemaker Kurogane), however, has darker overtones and is unfortunately discontinued.

**Chapter 5**

_Kyoto morgue. _Kyu frowned at the signboard. However Nanami must have a reason for them making the trip. Nanami and Dan-sensei had followed the Shinsengumi's Vice Chief Hijikata and his men back to the dreaded Shinsengumi headquarters. And goodness knew when they would be back. The morgue was no place for Yukihira or Katagiri.

"Up to it?" Kenshin asked. Ryu and Kyu both nodded. The stench of death emanating from the low wood-and-earth building was enough to turn their stomachs. Himura rapped sharply on the doorpost.

"Kitsu-dono, I'm here…" He was surprised by a young man sprinting out post-haste and being violently sick into the gutter. "Kinta-san?" Kyu recognized the young watchman. Kinta waved to him shakily.

"Hey, I'm not done showing you yet!" the morgue-keeper called out after the watchman. Kenshin greeted her with a polite bow. "Well, I suppose you are here to collect their corpses…" she snorted and spat into the dirt. "Do you need a grass mat or a cart to transport your friends? They're taking up valuable space and starting to stink. And you know how the bodies pile up after a wild night at the Sake Shack."

"With all due respect, my master is looking into enlisting the services of Buddhist monks and an auspicious day for cremation…" Kenshin explained. Kitsu-dono shrugged. "That's fine, I guess you lot want to see the dead before splurging on a… Who's the girl with you? This is no place for girls…" she pointed at Ryu, who immediately turned a bright red. "Excuse me, ma'am, I'm a boy and…" Ryu tried to explain but was cut off by Kyu.

"I'm Renjo Kyu, son of Renjo Satorou," he piped up. "Well, you do have the look of your father in you. Let's hope you got his brains as well," Kitsu-dono crackled. "Come on in, lads. And Toyama-san, if you are done tossing your rice balls, you're welcome to join us."

Kyu did turn a shade of green and Kinta was still white in the face when Kitsu-dono introduced them to the body on one of the tables. "Nakaoka-san received a slash across the back with a sharp blade…" Kitsu-dono yanked out one of the long bronze pins in her hair and prodded at the wound. The body had been partially stripped to enable the morgue-keeper to do her work of cleaning the body. "Death was almost instantaneous from blood loss. The blow severed the spinal column," Kenshin added as he viewed the body. Kitsu-dono waved away the few lazy flies that had started to gather.

"Good point, samurai-boy," she crackled. "Are you lot taking notes?" she called out to the remaining three. Kinta nodded. Ryu kept his face a calm mask. Kyu raised a hand. "Excuse me, Nakaoka was attacked from the back, wasn't he? Could you tell if the killer was right or left-handed? Or his height based on the wound?"

"I would say the blow was a downward swing, right to left diagonally. It is hard to confirm, but it may be a right-hander. Also, based on the angle, the killer is shorter than Nakaoka." Kenshin drew his own sword and lifted it. "Possibly my height or less. To carry out such a move, a typical sword will be caught on the beams of a low building like this," Kenshin indicated that the tip of his sword was a bare inch from the ceiling. "Sakamoto's place has a similarly low ceiling."

"Here's Sakamoto-sama…" Kitsu-dono lifted the bloodied sackcloth off the next table with a flourish. Kinta fled white-faced after one look. Ryu sucked in his breath harshly. Kyu's knees buckled and he had to grab onto the nearby pillar for support. Kenshin was stoic. He had seen enough death to know Sakamoto Ryoma met a brutal end. Kitsu-dono delicately lifted the ragged garments covering the ruined ribs. "What do you boys make of this one?"

"Multiple wounds. A frenzied attack," Kenshin leaned in for a closer look as the others shied away from the sight of exposed organs. "This one could be the first blow and possibly the killing one. Frontal slash, across the rib cage, right up to the left shoulder blade. The others were made after death. The near-decapitating stabs to the neck, more stabs to the chest. This is not the work of an assassin…" His eyes turned that odd shade of gold again. "An assassin would kill with one slash. This one wanted to be sure he is dead. He didn't know whether his first blow was a killing one…"

"At one point, the killer stepped on the body as it was lying on the floor. There's a mark on his clothes, there…" Kyu pointed out with a shaking hand. Kitsu-dono crackled. "Sharp eyes, young master." She took a large pair of scissors and snipped off the corner of the garment. "Here you go, something to help your master," she wrapped the piece of cloth in a piece of coarse paper and handed it to Kyu. She then covered the corpse.

"Excuse me, Kitsu-dono, I must return to my master…" Kenshin bowed politely and took his leave of the morgue-keeper. He strode out without a backwards glance.

"Nakaoka was caught unawares. As was Sakamoto. Both men thought they were with a friend," Ryu theorized. "I would say Sakamoto was attacked first, then Nakaoka. He was having a guest, someone he sent his secretary to get refreshments for. While Nakaoka was busy in the kitchen, an argument broke out between Sakamoto and his guest… Of course, this is only my conjecture. But this person would be an important guest since Sakamoto was supposedly ill…"

"He was holding the gun in his hand, so Megumi says," Kyu added. "Maybe he suspected this person could be dangerous, but he never got the chance to raise the alarm. Most Kyoto houses are poor on soundproofing. I mean, I can hear Yukihira singing even if she is two rooms away…"

"The victim was ill. He had a bowl of cold medicine in the room where he was killed. If the medicine were Nakaoka's, it would be in his room, not his master's room," Kinta added. He had rejoined them once Kitsu-dono covered Sakamoto's mangled remains.

"Well, do you boys wish to visit with some of the others?" Kitsu-dono asked and swung her arm over the other sackcloth-covered tables. "If not, scat and leave me to my work." The boys hastily took their leave.

* * *

Okita Souji, Shinsengumi captain, peered out of his room at the newcomers being ushered to the Chief's study. One looked very familiar. "Nanami-san!" he waved cheerfully to them. Maybe too cheerfully, for Hijikata gave him a withering glare. One to which our captain was long immune to. "What brings you here?" Okita asked as he stepped out of the room and into the open. "And is that chair on wheels like a cart?" Dan-sensei's unusual chair had aroused the young man's curiosity.

"Souji. Back to your room, now," Hijikata said firmly. Okita pouted and reluctantly stepped back onto the veranda.

"Runaway pig!" a loud voice shrilled. Half a dozen little pigs trotted by with a redhead kid in pursuit. "TETSUNOSUKE! Get these wretched critters back in their sty now!" Hijikata bellowed. "Sorry Hijikata-san, Okita-san!" the kid apologised. Hijikata bellowed as various recruits got caught up in the medley of pig-catching. One rambunctious pig bounded up the veranda and onto Okita's lap.

"They're not wretched critters, they are family…" Okita chirped. "Isn't this fun?" he clapped his hands in glee.

"Just about as fun as having Sakamoto Ryoma busting into _our _barracks and using us for target practice. In a way, I am glad that pain-in-the-neck is dead!" Hijikata yelled. "Sakamoto-san's dead?" the redhead kid whispered in shock. He dropped the piglet he had caught. "Dead, you say? So the rumours flying about barracks are true…" Okita's voice turned steel-cold, all the sunshine bleached from it. "Where were you last night, Toshizou?"

"Dragging your sorry ass off the street. Are you accusing me of something?" Hijikata growled. "Hell, you…"

"Break it up!" Kondo shouted. "Souji, back to your room please. Toshi, please show our guests in. Tetsu, tea."

"Don't spill it, runt," Hijikata chided as his redhead page scampered off. Nanami stared at the veranda and Dan-sensei's rather heavy chair. Unlike the Dan residence, they did not have ramps he could wheel it up. His sensei will have to pull himself onto the veranda and out of the chair using his arms. It was impossible for him to lift both man and chair up…

"Allow me," the giant who had accompanied Hijikata in fetching them easily lifted the chair, with Dan-sensei still in it, and set him down on the veranda. "Sano, you never pass up a chance to show off, do you?" Nagakura Shinpachi teased. Harada Sanosuke guffawed and joined his comrade at the washing area.

**Author's Notes:**

I hope the gore factor is still within your limits. In feudal Japan, the morgue work is carried out by the lowest caste as death is considered polluting. Autopsies are also unheard of. Funeral rites are carried out by Buddhist monks.


	6. Chapter 6

Disclaimer: All the Detective School Q, Rurouni Kenshin and Peacemaker Kurogane characters belong to their respective creators. Slight OOC-ness expected. AU.

**Chapter 6**

"Firstly, the Shinsengumi has nothing to do with Sakamoto's death, even though we weren't exactly chums," Hijikata glowered at the guests. "Secondly, we want you to prove our innocence. Some pompous jackass is trying to screw our good name by spreading malicious lies about us offing the trigger-happy weirdo."

"Toshi, please…" The chief pleaded. It was not good to speak ill of the dead, especially one as respected and well-liked as Sakamoto. "Mind your manners. You're scaring our guests…"

"Kat, there is always plan B, I march over to Itou's place with two patrols and kill that lying backstabber!" Hijikata retorted. Kondo Isami frowned and shook his head. His close friend had the tact and diplomatic manners of a sledgehammer at times, which sort of explained why they ended up on bad terms with at least two dozen army leaders and bakufu nobles. As if on cue, the redhead page entered the room and promptly tripped, spilling the tea on one very angry Vice-Chief.

"ICHIMURA TETSUNOSUKE!!!!"

"Wah! What were you doing behind the door?" Tetsu gasped. _Big mistake._ Hijikata's hand clenched around the hilt of his sword. "Gah! Forgive my foolish, worthless little brother!" A thin brown-haired man did a flying leap across the courtyard and into the office. He forced the young page's face almost into the tatami as he knelt, pleading for forgiveness.

"Basically, what my colleague is trying to say is that we are being set up by our former military advisor, Itou," Kondo explained. "There have been some unusual incidents in our ranks recently. I would appreciate it if this talk stays within this room."

Dan nodded. "Why don't you tell me about them?" Kondo waited until the page and his brother had left the room and were far enough. Hijikata slid the shoji shut. The Chief cleared his throat.

"Firstly, one of our captains has gone missing…"

"If you are referring to Toudou, he probably defected to Itou's camp. Everyone knew they were from the same school and he was seen speaking with Itou's people…" Hijikata snorted and lit his pipe. The acrid smell of tobacco filled the room. "Toudou took leave from his duties to attend to personal matters in Edo. He was seen eating at a roadside stall in Kyoto by a passing patrol yesterday evening. However, he did not report for duty last night or this morning…"

* * *

In the adjoining room, Tetsu frowned. The walls in the barracks were thin and he knew he could listen in by pressing his ear against the wall of Okita's room. The occupant had sneaked out again against the doctor's orders.

"Tetsu, what are you doing?" A harsh whisper and his brother yanked him away from the wall. "Tatsu-nii, I just wanted to listen to their talk about Sakamoto…" Tetsu winced as his brother tweaked his ear hard. Tetsu was dragged away by the ear until they were far from most of the men. Only then did his brother release him.

"Tetsu, that man is bad news. Stay away from him and anything to do with him. However good friends he and father were, it is all over when our parents were killed, understand?"

"But he wanted to talk to us in private, regarding father. He said he had something he wanted us to have…" Tetsu brushed away the tears that came pricking.

* * *

"So what you are saying is that both victims were attacked by someone they had no reason to suspect of any harm?" Hougou asked when Kinta finished delivering his report. The older policeman pondered the case. That would mean that the rumours of dissent in the Ishin faction were based on some truth. These were uncertain times and not all the anti-bakufu factions were keen on Sakamoto's take on opening the nation to trade. "One more thing, sir," Kinta started. Before he could say anything else, a messenger came running into the office.

"Hougou-sir, you and your men are off the case. Close it as murder by bandits or something! Orders from the higher-ups!" the messenger panted. "Immediately."

"Immediately?" Hougou frowned. Things were more obviously more complicated than your normal robbery and murder. Nothing of obvious value seemed to be removed from Sakamoto's premises. There was no obvious sign of rummaging in the office. However, it might be that no one has noticed any loss yet, since the secretary who kept the important documents was also dead.

"What now, sir?" Kinta asked. "Go home, take a bath and go out for dinner with your girl. Stay away from this case, understand?" Hougou replied and looked at the other listening men.

"But sir! Are we really going to give up?" Kinta shouted. He ran after his senior as Hougou strode off in the direction of the privy. They were at the privy when Hougou stopped. "Sir?"

"Toyama Kintaro. Go home, offer sake to your father's spirit or go out to the kabuki theatre with your fiancée, whatever. Just leave this case alone. Have you finished reporting on your findings at the morgue?"

"Sir, you intend go alone on this one? Man, it will be a replay of what happened in the Serizawa case. The killers are going to get away, right?" Kinta punched the wall of the outhouse in frustration. "It's the same thing that got my father exiled up north! Just because someone in Edo Castle doesn't want us mucking about. I was about to tell you inside that Special Investigator Dan is looking into the case… I heard from his servants that Sakamoto's lady friend sought his help. She expected something like this…"

Hougou stared at the youth thoughtfully. "Kinta, maybe it will be a good time to meet Special Investigator Dan."

"Can't do, sir. The Shinsengumi dragged them off, Dan and his assistant. His two servant boys had to go to the old witch's place to see the bodies with that lady friend's manservant."

* * *

Late evening

"Wow, this place is a dump!" Kyu exclaimed as he tiptoed into the empty house. They had to step over assorted scattered footwear which littered the entrance. A torn umbrella leaned forlornly against a wall "Sorry we stink at housekeeping," an echoing voice called out from the darkness. "WAH! GHOST!" Kyu yelled in shock and ran pell-mell into Ryu who had just entered. The pair fell in a tangled heap of limbs at the entrance. The owner of the voice stepped into a pool of light. It was Kazuma. Megumi soon joined him.

"They let us enter the house since they were done… Kazuma just wanted to get his belongings from the kitchen," Megumi explained. She staunchly avoided looking into the room where the murder occurred.

"Wow, Sakamoto-san sure has big feet!" Kyu suddenly exclaimed as he and Ryu successfully disentangled themselves. He lifted a large straw slipper. Kazuma frowned. "Those aren't Sakamoto-sama's. His favourite footwear is Western boots," the page exclaimed and pointed at a pair of black boots. "Besides, those are way too large for him." Ryu lifted one up and compared it with the large slipper, affirming the page's words.

Kazuma picked up another straw slipper. "This one's Nakaoka-san's. His feet are about the same size as Sakamoto-sama's… In fact, I can't think of anyone in our group with feet that size." Meanwhile, Kyu had found the twin to the large slipper. Megumi let out a gasp when she saw it. "What's up, Megu?" the boys asked. "I recognize that slipper… A customer's slipper strap broke and Aunt Umeko used red thread to mend it, like so…" she said and pointed at the telltale red stitches on the strap.

"Who was this customer?" Ryu asked. "Harada Sanosuke, Shinsengumi tenth captain," Megumi replied. "Come on, it's getting late, _and spooky._ Let's go!" Kazuma said and left. The others followed. They did not see a shadowy figure step out of the long evening shadows of the murder room. Saitou Hajime thoughtfully fingered his malaa beads and pondered what he has just overheard. Death, even in its most violent forms, was part and parcel of his life. Naturally, murdered spirits rarely rest easy and those lingering in this space were no exception. Thankfully, the Miburou were unlikely to be troubled by these restless ones.

"You calculated wrongly, Sakamoto-san," the third captain said cryptically and stepped out into the falling night. Tucked in his sleeve was the item he had come to remove from the house, a tattered, dog-eared diary.

**Author's Notes:**

Not much RK in this section. Somehow, I find PMK Saitou easier to work into the plot since the Demon Vice-chief is enough badass for the whole Shinsengumi. Saitou's legendary sword skills remain unchanged though.


	7. Chapter 7

Disclaimer: All the Detective School Q, Rurouni Kenshin and Peacemaker Kurogane characters belong to their respective creators. Slight OOC-ness expected. AU.

**Chapter 7**

Ryu and Kyu parted company with Megumi and Kazuma at the crossroads and returned to their house. "Get out of the way!" Yukihira shouted as she almost ran into them at the gate. Not noticing that she had lost a sandal, she sprinted off in the direction Ryu had long associated with the physician Gensai. The household was charged with nervous activity. Katagiri ran into Dan's room with a sloshing washbasin.

"Don't stand there like a pole! Help fetch some towels!" Nanami shouted as he emerged from the room. "_Hai_!" Both boys ran for the linen closet. Yukihira soon returned with Gensai-sensei.

"What happened?" Kyu asked. "We just got back from the Shinsengumi barracks when he started complaining of pains in his chest," Nanami explained curtly. "He was running a fever. Katagiri-san and I helped him to his room. Then he started wheezing and gasping…"

"Too much excitement," Gensai-sensei said and emerged from the sickroom. "It's the old poison acting up with his cold and exertion. Those ninja poisons are difficult to purge out of the system, especially at his age." Nanami and Katagiri nodded in agreement. Inside, Yukihira carefully sponged her uncle's brow, trying to lower his temperature as instructed by the doctor. The old man's breathing was easier now after the medical treatment.

"Keep drafts away. If he finds difficulty breathing, try applying this poultice on his chest…" the doctor handed a small container to Nanami. "I will write a prescription…" the doctor turned to his medicine chest and fumbled for some paper. He carefully wrote out a prescription. "These herbs must be boiled in water for four hours. Give him a bowl of the water once in the morning and once before sleeping. All after meals… Most important of all, rest. He needs full bed-rest for two weeks."

"Yes, thank you, doctor," Nanami and Katagiri bowed. They both wondered how they could keep the Miburou from bothering Dan for two weeks, especially a certain Demon Vice-chief.

* * *

_Umeya Restaurant._ Megumi and Kazuma stepped into the back of the restaurant to find her sister carrying a basin of bloodied water down the stairs. "One of the boys has been hurt. Nami found him bleeding in an empty house nearby and brought him back. Aunt Umeko's gone to her brother's so we're trying to patch him the best we can…" Akane whispered. Emergency first-aid was something all the waitresses were occasionally called on to provide for their wounded Ishin comrades who turn up at their back door.

Kazuma shuddered when he saw the dirty tint of blood. He made some excuse and moved out to the dining area, stealing a peek at the graceful curves of a passing waitress as he did so. He had to admit that the restaurant employed really pretty girls. Someone had lifted the half-curtains that screened the kitchen from the dining area to improve the ventilation. An old man and his granddaughter were dining nearest to the kitchen door. The old man was watchful, while the little girl next to him cooed and hit her plate with her chopsticks. The old man leered openly at a passing waitress. Akane rolled her eyes and continued into the kitchen.

Okina's sharp eyes and ears missed nothing. He massaged a sore spot on his shin, a memento from his duel with a Meiousei ninja. He called for his bill. Piggybacking little Misao, he paused at the entrance to drop a coin into the bowl of a beggar. SPLASH!

"Sorry, good sir! My humblest apologies!" Nami shouted from the open window through which she had flung a basin of dirty water. Old man, beggar and tot were soaked by the sudden downpour. Misao squalled and started kicking and pounding her fists on Okina's shoulders. The old man waved a fist at Nami. The beggar slouched off down the street.

"Was that necessary?" Megumi groaned as she wrung out a towel. Nami only rolled her eyes. "Yamazaki Susumu's a lousy beggar. Too squeaky clean and you think the old goat would think twice about bringing his little one with him on a spying outing. Glad I nailed them both."

Her patient moaned as Megumi sponged his brow. He was young, dark, with a shocking mop of white hair. Nami had stitched and bound his wounds, one on his shoulder across his chest. Blotches of blood showed through the linen bindings. He fidgeted feverishly. Sweat ran down his brow.

"He was lucky. Lost a lot of blood, but no major blood vessels or organs were damaged. A cracked rib or two," Nami chewed on a sweet. "Sword wounds. Probably had a run-in with another samurai. His name's Kitamura Suzu. You never met him before since he hardly dropped by after his late master riled Aunt Umeko up over the way he treated us kunoichis… She almost took her naginata to him and her brother had to stop her." Megumi had almost forgotten that Nami was a ninja.

"After his master's death, I heard that he was batting about town trying to get a job as a page to one of the other Choushu big-shots, most of whom were too busy hiding out in the countryside at that time. Afterwards, I heard he was working at Itou's as a clerk. Of course, that's only hearsay…" Nami smiled and ruffled Megumi's hair. "Right, you help your sis with the patient. I've a date tonight."

"Excuse me, ladies," Kazuma peeked into the room. "I think there is a dead body in the alley behind…" Nami groaned. _Why must this all happen on her off-night?_

* * *

"I was going to the back alley for some air after using the privy when I saw that…" the boy pointed into the alley. A white-clad form lay face-down in the alley. Fuchsia hair fanned about its head. It was the grumpy-looking pig stubbornly butting his owner's face that confirmed the identity.

"Okita Souji," Nami pursed her lips as she rolled the body over. He was alive enough to open his eyes weakly and apologize. Nami shooed the pig aside. "Oh Buddha! Okita-sama!" a wide-eyed waitress squealed. Hotaru all but knocked Nami away from the object of her fervent desires. "Okita-sama! Are you alright!" Hotaru screamed and started shaking him by the shoulders.

"Get a grip on yourself and quit shaking him so violently!" Nami barked. The pig squealed and darted in for a quick nip to the ankle of the fangirl threatening his young master. "Someone go fetch the doctor!" Nami ordered. "I'll go!" Kazuma volunteered. "You and you," Nami pointed at two male kitchen helps. "Get him inside. We can't leave him out here…"

"Geez, why don't we just dump him two streets away for his Miburou fellows to find? They say Saitou and Harada will be continuing their night patrols despite the…" one complained and was immediately silenced by the glare Nami gave him. "Cool it, Nami-nee. After all, he's on the way out…" That remark earned him a smack to the head from Hotaru. The deteriorating state of Okita's health was a secret the group had failed miserably in keeping. Megumi watched from the doorway. She had come down for a fresh towel while her sister watched the patient.

* * *

_Kyoto morgue._ Kitsu-dono smacked her lips as she finished the last of her dinner. She glanced over to a sack-covered body. It had been fished out from the river that morning and was still unclaimed. The unknown was male, in his twenties. Most of his face had been obliterated by being scrapped against the rocks. The Kamo had been fierce in flood with the previous night's rain. A woman and her infant had been washed off a low bridge. Their bodies recovered three bridges downstream, the infant still clutched in the drowned woman's arms. Her husband was devastated.

Another victim was a young geisha who had sneaked out to see her lover boy. She had slipped and fallen in while her lover watched helpless. Kitsu-dono had passed the poor girl to the monks for her funeral. There was the local drunk from the slums and an old beggar whose riverside shack was taken downstream while she slept. Two youngsters who were playing on the banks. _Yes, it had been a busy day…_ she sipped at her bitter tea.

Sated, she turned to her patiently waiting visitor. "Hougou Tatsumi, I trust you have a reason for being here instead of sending that pup."

"Last night, there were two murders. About the same time, there was a Shinsengumi patrol that saw a suspicious character. Witnesses claim this suspect was wounded…" Hougou did not waver despite the growing stench of unclaimed, rotting corpses.

"So we are talking samurai duels to the death, are we? Well, I see loads of bodies, courtesy of them wolves. Last night, a good many met their ends in the Kamo but this young man did not drown." She loped over to the table and flipped the sacking off the mutilated corpse.

"Samurai." She pointed at the bedraggled topknot and sword calluses on the corpse's hands. "Stabbed in the lung. This is a mortal wound. Not instant, mind you. Slash wounds to the neck and shoulder slight. Slash across the back, deep. I would say he fell or was thrown off the Blue Dragon Bridge where the current's the fiercest above the rocks. Hence, the damage done. I would have shown this one to Dan's boys and that Toyama pup, except they were a little green after Sakamoto. Get my drift? I don't want them tossing their mochi cakes in here."

Hougou nodded. The bridge was just upstream of Sakamoto's murder scene. _Could he be looking at the killer's battered remains?_ Based on the ragged remains of his clothes, he was dressed for travel. Was it a robbery? Anything of value he carried must be sitting in the Kamo if not in his killer's hands. But none of the victims appeared to have defended themselves. It may be totally unrelated…

"I found this on him," Kitsu-dono lifted a sodden envelope from the table next to the corpse. Most of the ink had been washed out. "Maybe it was a love token for our boy here," she crackled and indicated that Hougou should look inside. In the envelope was a small flat stone seal. Hougou's heart sank when he saw the name cut into it. _Itou._

* * *

"Toudou Heisuke, you always were an idiot," Saitou paused in mid-stroke as a chill hit him. The training dojo was dark and silent, most of the recruits having retired for the night. Kondo had suspended all patrols and Saitou Hajime was too restless for sleep. He wondered when he should pass that diary to the boy. He resumed his practise, striking at air. His momentary peace was shattered when their Vice-Chief's voice rang through the night.

"SOUJI! Where in bloody hell have you run off to this time?" This was followed by a string of curses. Their stubborn patient had flown the coop, _again_.

**Author's Notes:**

So the morgue-keeper had some knowledge on forensics. I can't imagine Maki-sensei in a period role, so he's not in on this one. Nanami will have his hands full if the Miburou come calling on Dan-sensei. I guess RK fans know who Gensai-sensei is.


	8. Chapter 8

Disclaimer: All the Detective School Q, Rurouni Kenshin and Peacemaker Kurogane characters belong to their respective creators. Slight OOC-ness expected. AU.

**Chapter 8**

"So boys, what have you got from the morgue?" Nanami asked them over breakfast. Yukihira shot him an annoyed look. Discussion of morgue and dead bodies never made good dining conversation. Still, she filled Nanami's rice bowl with steaming rice. "We believe both victims were killed by someone they did not have reason to suspect of any harm, possibly a guest of Sakamoto's An important guest for him to get out of bed despite a bad cold," Ryu reported. He continued with their observations and what they have found and learnt about the victims.

"We have a visitor, Nanami-san," Katagiri peered into the dining room. "Hougou-san. He says he has something important to tell you personally." Nanami swallowed his last mouthful. "Send him in."

Hougou rarely called unless something important was up, having left his job at the Dan residence to take up a more profitable job as a town watchman five years ago, the price of getting hitched too soon and having one too many kids. The family of six owned a modest shack somewhere in the cheap housing district. Nanami swore he would stick to being a bachelor for as long as possible. Their guest was accompanied by a young man, Toyama Kintaro.

"Kotaro, it has been a while," Hougou bowed formally, greeting his one-time colleague. Nanami returned the greeting. "Tatsumi, you shouldn't make a habit of endangering your family's meal ticket. I guess you have been ordered off the Sakamoto case." Hougou nodded. He fished the stone seal out of his pocket.

"I found this on an unidentified body. It probably has something to do with the case. The victim is a swordsman, young. Died of sword wounds. Fished out of the river yesterday. He probably went in the day before, according to our morgue keeper. Of course, there are plenty of missing swordsmen; deserters, ronin, travellers and outlaws…" Hougou paused as Nanami studied the seal. "He may be one of Itou's men, but one would expect Itou's group to make a fuss if one of their number goes missing."

"There's a missing swordsmen the Shinsengumi are investigating as a deserter. Captain Toudou Heisuke," Nanami replied. He would need someone from the Miburou to identify the corpse to be sure.

"Nanami, another visitor," Katagiri interrupted. Yukihira started clearing away the breakfast stuff. She would check on her uncle shortly. The fever had broken but the old man was still very weak. "Who now?" Nanami asked. "Katsura Kogoro, his sister and their servants." Nanami almost groaned at the reply. He hurried out, straightening his garments as he did so. Katsura Kogoro was staring at the withered cherry tree in the front. Aunt Umeko was talking to Megumi and another waitress from her restaurant. The two pages, Kazuma and Kenshin, were also there. Kazuma was sombre. Kenshin was tense. The young samurai kept one hand on his sword hilt. With good reason, there was no sign of any bodyguard and apart from Kenshin, the others were apparently unarmed.

Katsura Kogoro beckoned to Kenshin and whispered something into his ear. The page hesitated and shook his head. Katsura repeated his orders in a low voice. Kenshin reluctantly nodded and sprinted out into the street.

* * *

"News from Okina," Yamazaki reported to Chief Kondo. Hijikata had his hands full dealing with Souji after the shamefaced patient was picked up from a certain eatery after fainting in the back alley. Samurai do not faint, especially not a Shinsengumi captain. No doubt the incident would be the butt of Sake Shack jokes for a while. "Toudou Heisuke was expected at Itou's place but he never showed. There is reason to suspect he may have been the victim of some random robbery. He was last seen at the Sake Shack purchasing a jar of sake. The owner distinctly recalls him requesting the very best liquor in the house for Master Itou."

"So it was true, those rumours…" Kondo stepped out onto the veranda, closed his eyes and silently mourned the loss of another friend to politics. "Shall I order someone to deal with him?"

"That wouldn't be necessary, sir." Saitou stepped out of the shadow of a pine tree. "Heisuke is no longer with the living. I have strong reason to believe that," he declared solemnly and hurriedly dodged a flying bokken. "Hey, Saitou! Quit cursing Hei-kun!" a livid Nagakura shouted across the yard. "He may be a goofball who likes his dice too much and hangs out with the Itou gang way too much ever since Yamanami's death… but he's still our friend, right?" the captain turned to his sparring partner for confirmation.

Harada Sanosuke scratched his chin. "Ya, I suppose so…" he looked off to one side. "You suppose? Whadaya mean suppose?" Nagakura said. "Hei-kun probably got caught up or something. Maybe he'll come running through those gates, apologizing and…"

"RUNAWAY PIG!" Someone shouted a warning as a dozen pigs dashed around the yard. A peal of laughter informed all who was responsible for the sty-break. "OKITA SOUJI!" the demon vice-chief bellowed and snapped his pipe stem. Indeed, the boredom of being confined to his room has brought out the little demon child in one of their best swordsman.

Up a large gingko tree outside the compound, Himura Kenshin clapped a hand over his mouth to keep from laughing out loud. He held onto his spyglass tightly. It wouldn't do to lose that modern marvel Sakamoto had introduced him to. He couldn't make out what Yamazaki's words, but he could manage a good guess at the gist of his report. He peered through the glass again. _Wait…_ Cautiously, he inched forward on his branch for a better look. _Where did Saitou Hajime go?_

"If you want to spy on us, you really should choose a better spot," a low voice said amidst a rustle of leaves. _Oh damn,_ Kenshin need not turn to recognize who had slipped up behind him.

* * *

Captain Sagara and his two young charges were shopping for troop supplies when Sano suddenly stopped in mid-stride.

"Taicho! Look! The tree is going boom!" young Sano pointed eagerly. "Don't tell fibs, Sano…" Captain Sagara chided then paused in amazement as the said tree appeared to explode in flurry of leaves and branches. The young man seized both his charges, one under each arm, and ducked for cover behind a nearby soba stand. "Way cool!" Sano exclaimed as a large branch crashed inches away from them.

**Author's notes:**

Kenshin up a tree with a spyglass. Now where have we seen that move before? Yeah, Seta spying on Kamiya dojo in the Samurai X anime. Tossed in little Sano just for laughs.

In the Peacemaker Kurogane anime. Nagakura, Harada and Toudou were very good friends. In the manga, their friendship soured with Toudou leaving the group.

Historical fact: when Itou led a breakaway fraction away from the Shinsengumi, captains Saitou and Toudou left with him. Saitou was spying for Kondo and Hijikata. Later Toudou was killed in a skirmish with the Miburou when the animosity between the two groups broke into open violence.


	9. Chapter 9

Disclaimer: All the Detective School Q, Rurouni Kenshin and Peacemaker Kurogane characters belong to their respective creators. Slight OOC-ness expected. AU.

This fic is set in Bakumatsu Japan. Kenshin's still Battousai, although he wouldn't appear in that mode much here. Sano (Sagara Sanosuke) is still a kid.

**Chapter 9**

_Dan residence._

"Not only you had to put him up to do a man's work, you had to send him to do a shinobi's job! Why can't you trust one of my girls to do that? At least they're trained…" Umeko chided. Katsura sheepishly apologized. An equally sheepish Kenshin knelt humbly next to his master. The commotion of Saitou and Kenshin's duel had attracted a lot of attention and it was only with a great deal of persuasion by their respective superiors that both combatants emerged without serious harm. Nanami shrugged. The case was getting more complicated and he did not need open warfare between Katsura's 'page' and a Miburou captain.

"Are you sure one of your so-called allies didn't kill Ryouma?" Umeko suddenly asked her brother point-blank. "That's impossible!" Katsura exclaimed, but the hesitant look on his face spoke volumes. "It could be Miburou. Everyone knows how much Hijikata and company hate Sakamoto." Sakamoto's page nodded in agreement, although he stole a glance at the sword at Kenshin's belt. Katsura's page had proven his prowess by lasting a full five minutes in a duel against the Shinsengumi's best.

"Umeko-dono, I swear that Master Katsura has nothing to do with Sakamoto-san's death," Kenshin declared. "That reminds me," Umeko suddenly exclaimed. "There was a one-time Choushu page, Kitamura, who was severely wounded in an attack the night Ryouma was killed. He is still fighting for his life… Could it be related to that unidentified body and the murders, Nanami-san? Is Dan-sensei feeling better?"

"Afraid not. The doctor has ordered full bed rest for sensei. But we will find out who is responsible for Sakamoto's death," Nanami hoped he would be able to keep his promise. Whatever dodgy business was flying about the Ishin clans, Nanami wanted none of it as far as possible.

"About that slipper," Umeko prompted. Both Kazuma and Megumi had shyly explained about the large slipper found at the scene that seemed to put a certain Shinsengumi captain at the scene, before they were interrupted by that street brawl. "Can you be sure?" Nanami asked Megumi.

"Of course she is sure. Megu has the best memory in all Kyoto," Umeko said. "If she says she remembers me mending Harada's slipper, I did."

"There, I told you it would be the Miburou," Katsura said in relief. "Sakamoto-sama would never invite a Miburou in… not without his sword in hand and a loaded pistol in the other." Kazuma pointed out. Nanami frowned. Sakamoto's feelings towards the Shinsengumi were well-known. He simply didn't trust them, especially the captains. However, there were other rumours that he was trying to recruit a certain page and bookkeeper from the group.

* * *

_Late evening, Umeya._

"Glad you have re-joined us, Kitamura," Umeko brusquely wrung out a towel and wiped his face. "Nami will get you some porridge… Mind telling us what happened? No, don't get up yet…"

Kitamura Suzu blinked his eyes as they adjusted to the flickering lamp light. Someone was dripping water from a spoon into his mouth to sooth his parched tongue. "I w-was robbed…" he stuttered. "They must be very desperate to rob a poor boy like you," Nami replied as she waved her hand over the boy's meagre belongings. "You have not a coin on you," the waitress snorted as she shook out one very empty purse. "Only a couple of stone seals and writing materials. So whose page are you now?"

"I do not speak to upstart kunoichi turned waitress…" Suzu groaned. He never liked Nami or any of the girls at Umeya. "Aunt Umeko! May I throw him out into the gutter?" Nami tossed a shuriken at the patient, nicking the corner of his pillow. "Now, now, be nice…" Umeko carefully studied the seals. Her eyes were sharp enough to make out the names cut into them. The young man had a lot of explaining to do once her brother learns of this… She glanced in the direction of their patient. Nami seemed to be taking an exceptional delight in changing his bandages, especially when it came to cleaning out the wounds with strong medicated wine.

"Megu?" Umeko went carefully to the door and beckoned the nearest waitress. "I want you to take this to Dan-sensei's and tell them…" she whispered a message into her ear and Megu nodded. "Take Kazuma with you. I want both of you kids away from here." Umeko took a deep breath and waited until both Megumi and Kazuma were out of the building.

"Kitamura, you have some explaining to do," Umeko turned her attention to the patient. "What are you doing with a copy of my brother's seal when you are working for Itou?"

The dark-complexioned boy turned pale. He tried to bolt past the matron but was floored by a roundhouse kick by the waiting Nami. He flew across the floor and banged against the far wall. "Kitamura Suzu, calm down," Umeko bent down. _A big mistake._ The boy lashed out.

"Aunt Umeko!" Nami shouted a warning too late. Umeko clutched at the blade stuck in her belly. A bloodstain spread on her purple obi. Nami went to her aid. The patient made use of the distraction to flee.

* * *

"Mizukami Saizou, Itou-san has an assignment for you," the hooded figure whispered as she sat next to a white-haired, bespectacled Shinsengumi taishi. The albino youth sipped at his green tea and adjusted his uniform haori. No doubt he had slipped away from his group instead of reporting directly to the barracks after his duties. "Who's the target, Lady Risa?" he nibbled at a candied haw.

"Kitamura Suzu. He has gone missing and Itou wants him dead before he…" Risa frowned. She was sick of the swordsman's devil-may-care attitude to things. _Spy, assassin for hire, mercenary…_ He was all and none. His loyalty was always in question and it was a miracle the Shinsengumi chiefs had not ordered his death yet. Risa studied him from under her hood. He might be a good recruit for Meiousei, if he weren't so unpredictable.

"Reports to his Choushu buddies on that scam? Got you," Saizou finished his tea. "Relax, Saizou. It wouldn't involve any pigs," Risa giggled. To her delight, the calm swordsman choked. The swordsman had a weird phobia of pigs, which often sent him up the nearest tree when Okita's pigs roamed the yard.

"What the?" Mizukami stared in disbelief as his target fled past them. The Meiousei girl cursed under her breath as the swordsman give chase and was immediately forestalled by a pig-toting Okita here for his daily sweets.

"Okita-sama! Call him off!" a wail sounded as the hapless would-be assassin dangled from the edge of a roof with a pig nipping his ankle. The pig's owner was too busy laughing to pay any heed. Risa snorted in disgust and ordered takoyaki to go.

* * *

"How's Dan-sensei?" Kyu inquired when he met Yukihira emerging from the sickroom. "Sh, he's sleeping. He is worried about the case. He got Nanami-san to report to him earlier. And obviously, the case hasn't moved forward at all. Don't you have to sweep the yard or something?" Yukihira scolded. Ryu was already busy raking the leaves.

Nanami looked at the boys sweeping the yard as he analyzed the different clues. The slipper evidence seemed to point at Harada Sanosuke, but it was unlikely Sakamoto would be caught off-guard in the presence of a Miburou. The victims made no or little attempt to defend themselves. The higher authorities' insistence on closing all investigations into the case hinted at a bakufu cover-up. Then there was the case of the forged orders which Sakamoto was investigating. Who would dare use Choushu leader Katsura's name to…

His answer came very soon and unexpectedly in the form of a message brought by Megumi and Kazuma.

* * *

"Aunt Umeko's shaken but her life is in no danger," Kenshin reported to a pacing Katsura Kogoro. His employer was sombre. The wound could have easily been deadly, if the blade hadn't been deflected by her thick obi and the thick leather wallet, a gift from Sakamoto, tucked in it. Umeko used it to hold her recipe sheets. The blade opened up a ragged scratch in her side, so Nami said. In fact, the stubborn Aunt Umeko insisted on overseeing the preparation of the food for the evening diners once her wound was bandaged.

"Himura, I want that brat found, alive…" Despite their constant bickering, the Katsura siblings were close. "Let's not involve Dan-sensei on this." It was an internal clan matter and Kitamura, as a member of the clan, would pay a dear price for his part in this scam and his attack on Aunt Umeko. Nami, Hotaru and a few other kunoichis were already combing the town.

**Author's Notes:**

Anyone recall Risa from Hell's Concerto? She has a brief cameo here.

Kunoichi – female ninja.

Mizukami Saizou is an RPG character I created. He is an albino Shinsensumi swordsman with a sweet tooth and pig-phobia.


	10. Chapter 10

Disclaimer: All the Detective School Q, Rurouni Kenshin and Peacemaker Kurogane characters belong to their respective creators. Slight OOC-ness expected. AU.

**Chapter 10**

_Sake Shack. Late night_

"Sano, you say what?" Nagakura Shinpachi almost fell flat on his face at his friend's revelation. "Man, this doesn't look good for you, pal. Seppuku alone wouldn't cut it." He poured out a cup of cheap sake.

"I know," Harada sorrowfully downed his sake. "I can't tell Kondo-san that Toudou and I ran up a huge bill at Itou's gambling den. So I decided to try Ryouma's. You do know he has a money-lending sideline. Toudou decided to try his family for the cash. Or maybe Itou gave him a job offer… Anyhow, I found them all dead when I got there," he whispered. "Someone got to them…"

"Sano, you dolt. Sakamoto doesn't lend money. He buys information, or at least his secretary does on his behalf. Everyone knows that. Were you planning to sell something on the Ichimuras? Everyone knows Sakamoto has a personal interest in those two, sons of a close friend or something. Hell, could you imagine Puppy-boy Testu-kun running about with that bunch? And you lost your slippers there?" Apart from sumo wrestlers, there were few men with Sano's foot size in Kyoto.

"Think they suspect? Saitou-san said I should be more careful about my footwear and dice. He's psycho! He freaking knows such things!" Harada rubbed the scar on his belly with a shudder. Seppuku would really hurt.

"I believe the correct word is psychic," a calm voice cut in.

"Aaargh! W-what are you doing here?" Both Nagakura and Harada leapt in shock. Saitou was not alone. With him were Hijikata and a group of uniform-wearing Shinsengumi members. "We were about to invite you two to Heisuke's funeral after getting his corpse from the morgue. Care to explain what your footwear was doing at the scene of a murder, Sano?" Hijikata's voice was pure ice.

At Saitou's insistence, he had made a trip to the local morgue with a few of the Eighth Patrol men to identify the rotting remains of a former captain Toudou Heisuke. _"He is sorry for the mess he landed both Harada and himself in and he would like someone to see to his last rites…" _

_Pah! The ahou can consider himself lucky if they let Saitou handle the prayers and toss him back into the river. _Hijikata growled. The morgue-keeper's sarcastic barbs never failed to put him in a bad mood. Then they thought it would be proper to inform his best buddies who happen to be knocking back a few drinks at the Sake Shack. Instead they find Harada admitting to being at the crime scene within earshot of half the town's adult male population.

Hijikata cast a wary eye about the crowd, most of which have passed into drunken oblivion. A large man appeared fairly sober as he sipped sake from his jar. A large sword was at his belt. The customer bid the sleepy-eyed shack owner goodnight and tossed on his white cape. "Good night, Hiko-sama," the owner replied as the customer stepped out the door without a backward glance. Hijikata was secretly relieved. The customer was a known hermit and potter. Town happenings did not interest a man of that type. The shack owner, Nagi, was half-deaf to start with. The other more sober drinkers appeared to be off-duty Miburou for the most part.

"Hougou Tatsumi," Hijikata recognized the man lying at the table next to them. Hougou was known for his ties to the Dan household, on top of his honesty. With him was a younger man, more a teen. Both appeared to be drunk. Sake from an overturned sake jar soaked the fronts of their clothes and dripped onto the earthen floor. Hougou's head was pillowed on an arm as he snored. The younger man fidgeted in a drunken sleep.

Once the Miburou left, Hougou nudged Kinta, who got up from his mock stupor. "My wife's gonna kill me…" Hougou muttered as he studied his sake-soaked garments. What had started as a little off-duty chat had taken a serious turn. They must inform Nanami or Dan-sensei immediately on this development.

* * *

_Dan residence_

"Ryu? You awake?" Kyu rolled over and found the futon next to him empty. Maybe he had gone out to the privy. Kyu rubbed his eyes and crawled over to the door, carefully avoiding the sprawled limbs of a snoring Nanami. Narusawa Kazuma, who was their guest for the night, fidgeted restlessly. Their other guest was with Yukihira and Katagiri. Aunt Umeko insisted that Megumi and Kazuma stay away from Umeya for a while.

Ryu was standing under the cherry tree, talking to a black-clad figure that was definitely female. "You are asking me for information, Ryu?" Risa laughed. "No, I am not," Ryu gritted his teeth, flustered. His grandfather was displeased with his lack of reports, enough to send Risa instead of Kerberos to warn him. Risa was a professional, both as a geisha and spy.

"Of course, this house will be finished once Nanami bungles the case… Maybe you could consider an assignment in the gay pleasure houses?" Risa teased. "How disappointing that Dan is on his deathbed…"

"He is not on his deathbed!" Kyu blurted out loud. A shocked Ryu turned around to face him. Risa nonchalantly leapt over the wall and into the night. "Ryu? What was that about?" Nanami was also awake now. Before Ryu could reply, there was a knocking on the gate.

* * *

"There are too many clues that lead nowhere," Nanami murmured as he scratched letters in the sand of the yard. Hougou's findings at the Sake Shack only complicated matters. The Miburou would be guarded. "Nanami-san, could we help?" Kyu's voice cut in on his thoughts. The young people were busy helping Katagiri-san with the chores. Kyu and Ryu were drawing water from the well and Megumi was preparing to wash the clothes. Kazuma and Kinta were in the study, going through some documents that Kenshin had brought over for comparison.

Nanami smiled. Kyu was ever the optimist. Ryu had been sullen since last night. "If we don't do something to solve the murders… Dan-sensei will be disgraced and Ryu will have to go work in the gay pleasure districts… OW!" Kyu never saw that bucket coming. He stumbled, face landing smack in the middle of Megumi's chest. SLAP!

* * *

"I told you already, that is a replica of Katsura's seal. A very well-made one, except for this…" Kazuma pointed at a document. "The original one has a hairline crack through it that shows … The one on the forgery does not have it. According to my colleague here, Katsura-sama preferred hardwood for his seals instead of stone. If you notice the grain shows…" Resting by the door, Kenshin gave a nod.

"All I see are squiggles and blots," Kinta squinted.

"Illiterate…" Kazuma snorted and pushed his glasses up his nose. "Pah, who needs to read and write? What matters is how well you fight, right, Ken?" Kinta nudged Kenshin.

"Er, actually, my shishou taught me to read and write along with sword skills…" Kenshin corrected. "Almost all samurai are literate…"

"I bet the Miburou aren't…"

"Hijikata is a poet. Writes haiku, so I heard from a reliable source," Kenshin grinned at the memory of one Okita Souji sharing poetry with him in a small eatery before all hell broke loose upon both learning the other's real identity. "That's what separates scholars and samurai from bumpkins like you," Kazuma jibed. "You little…" Kinta caught the younger boy in an arm-lock.

"Talking of those wolves, I wonder what they will do to Harada," Kenshin mused. "Hijikata's page was seen running about getting things for a funeral."

"What do you intend to do with your little forger?" Kazuma asked. It has been ascertained that Kitamura Suzu had been using a Choushu leader's seal to carry out fraud and forgery, possibly under the direction of Itou. Kenshin shrugged. He had not been able to locate Kitamura yet and the girls at Umeya have volunteered to inform him once they have located his hiding place.

"He was a fairly adept swordsman. His master was a good swordsman, if you discount the fact that he is an overall jerk…" Kazuma had wriggled his way free of Kinta's arm. "Hard to imagine how he went so wrong…"

"You were in Nagasaki during the Ikeda-ya incident. Things happen," Kenshin said sombrely. He picked up his sword. "I need to speak with someone, to find out the situation in the Shinsengumi."

"Count me in," Kinta volunteered.

**Author's Notes: **

Seppuku – ritual suicide that involves slicing open one's belly, practised by disgraced samurai in a last ditch attempt to save their honour.

Okita Souji (PMK) and Kenshin (RK) sharing poetry? You may want to read my Green Tea and Haiku fic if you like the notion of friendship fluffiness between these two.


	11. Chapter 11

Disclaimer: All the Detective School Q, Rurouni Kenshin and Peacemaker Kurogane characters belong to their respective creators. Slight OOC-ness expected. AU.

**Chapter 11**

The group left the compound. "Who was messing up the Ishin accounts?" Kauzma asked in a whisper. "It was Kitamura," Kinta replied. "He had the seals…" Kazuma shook his head. "Not only him. He was doing it for Itou…"

Kenshin found his informant easily enough at the local graveyard. Mizukami Saizou always visited his brother on the same day of each month.

"Battousai…" Mizukami Saizou instinctively reached for his sword. Kenshin groaned. Every single member of the Shinsengumi thought of it as an obligation to go head to head with him, even one as dodgy as Mizukami. "What's it with the class outing?" the albino let his hand fall to his side when he saw the five following him.

"Toyama Kintaro." The watchman bowed politely, mindful of the respect most samurai-types expect from the lower castes. The others followed his example.

"Amakusa Ryu."

"Narusawa Kazuma."

"Minami Megumi."

"Renjo Kyu. We're trying to solve the murder of Sakamoto."

"Mizukami Saizou…" The albino swordsman let his hand drop to his side and sat down at the graveside. "What do you want of me, Himura?"

"What's up with the Miburou?" Kenshin sat facing his informant.

"Let's see, Toudou got killed by a bandit, Harada is in deep crap for his visit to Sakamoto's place. Mind you, he is not a murderer or backstabber." Saizou opened a bag of sweet plums, ate one and passed them to the youngest in the group, Kazuma. Kazuma passed the plums to the others.

"Mizukami-san, did you ever visit Sakamoto?" Kinta asked. Something had caught his eye. "Why do you ask?" the young man's expression was guarded. "That Western-type spyglass in your belt…"

"Bought it at the market. Thought it would be handy. For your information, Sakamoto was one of the few leaders I feel will be good for the country. Between you and me, Ken, the Shogun and the Emperor are both morons and three quarters of the bakufu and royalists are clowns. Itou's smart. He knows Sakamoto could actually change things, but I do not know if he would actually order his death," Mizukami Saizou's voice was cold.

"Mizukami-san, are you leaving town?" Kyu asked. Saizou raised an eyebrow. "Why would you think so?"

"That." The boy pointed at the wet-weather cloak and hat tossed beside the grave. A small cloth bundle completed the picture. The albino smiled and nodded. "Find yourself a new informant, Himura. The lord of Aizu wants my ugly face back on his household staff instead of running about Kyoto. No more of Okita-san's pigs." The swordsman lifted his luggage and stood up. "One more thing, that person your master is looking for. Kitamura, Itou wants him dead before he squeals." Without a backwards glance, he strolled off, whistling a carefree tune.

"So who killed Sakamoto-sama?" Kazuma asked no one in particular. Kyu took a stick and scribbled in the dirt.

_Miburo – Hijikata hates Sakamoto_

_Ishin – any one of the leaders who feel he is too radical._

_Itou – political gain, plus that fraud scandal Sakamoto may have uncovered._

Kyu paused. Itou was very keen to close the murders as a random robbery.

"None of the Miburo or Itou's gang could get near Sakamoto without him being on guard…" Kazuma insisted as he read over Kyu's shoulder. "Not really. Sakamoto has a vested interest in a pair of brothers in the Shinsengumi. A bookkeeper and a page," Kinta added. "They could have visited him… but I can't see a weak scholar-type clerk or a page killing two people... Why don't we just leave the case as robbery like the authorities want?"

"Because it will be a lie, wouldn't it? The truth will be lost," Kyu insisted. Any one of their suspects could easily provide witnesses and an alibi which put them miles from the scene. Hiring a assassin was easy if you got the money. And servants need not be loyal. Many switched sides for the sake of gold or power. It was a difficult case.

* * *

Tetsunosuke sniffled as he bought the incense. He would never hear that good-natured captain teasing him. Shamefaced, he wiped away his tears. "Tetsu?" Kyu recognized the page. He and Ryu were buying lamp oil for Dan's household when they chanced on the Shinsengumi page. Kazuma was with them as he wanted to buy some incense for Sakamoto.

"Oh, Kyu," the page recognized the boy he had accidentally knocked into the river a month ago. Kyu noticed a pair of swords on the page's back. They were real swords and Kyu supposed that even a page in the Shinsengumi was expected to know basic sword skills. "You a swordsman? I thought you were a…"

"I know, I look like a kid, huh? Somehow my body quit growing at twelve," Tetsu smiled sadly. "Toudou-san used to call me puppy-boy because I'm so small. Even when they spar with me, it's like they are playing with a kid. Only Okita-san would actually train me in sword fighting. I'm just a page, you know." The tears came. "I only got in probably because my bro was already in there as a clerk. Okita-san practically forced the Vice Chief to give me this page job. Then he got sick, Okita-san… well, he got sick and everyone knows there's no cure and he'll keep getting worse… Everyone is worried. They say we will be disbanded since they do not need us Shinsengumi about…"

"Times are scary… Have you heard about what happened to Sakamoto Ryoma the other day?" Ryu asked suddenly.

Tetsu rubbed aside his tears and nodded. "Yes, it's the talk of town. Actually, I was about to visit him that day. He's a cool guy. He saved me from some bandits once. He said he know my father and wanted to tell me more… only my brother feels it is too dangerous for me to be hanging out with Sakamoto… That evening, Okita-san went missing from his room and the Demon vice-chief sent me to search his favourite sweet shops. I passed by Sakamoto's place to apologize… his secretary told me that it was alright as Sakamoto was expecting another visitor and it would be best if it keep away that evening."

"So you are here," a calm voice called out. A sleepy-eyed man stepped out from behind a curtain. "Saitou-san," Tetsu exclaimed. "Sorry I took so long…"

"So Sakamoto-san was expecting a visitor he did not want anyone to see? Not even Tetsu whom he so trusts." The captain pressed a tattered book into Tetsu's hand. "This is a little something your Ishin pal wanted you and your brother to have."

"Hey, isn't that book Sakamoto-sama's? I thought he was going to give it to a friend. How did you get it?" Kazuma exclaimed. It was impossible for Sakamoto to be pals with the Shinsengumi's Saitou Hajime. Saitou ignored him. Tetsu flipped open the book with shaking hands. "It's my father's diary, a journal of his travels in Japan and abroad."

* * *

"So Captain Saitou Hajime is psychic? He admitted to being in the house when you found the slipper and not during the murders?" Nanami asked. Both Ryu and Kyu nodded. "I find it difficult to believe in spirits and mediums and the like. It's not scientific! What is that racket?" A cacophony of clanging and chanting emitted from Dan-sensei's room.

"Er, Yukihira-san called in a medium and faith healer since medicine was not helping…" Kyu volunteered. Nanami was on his feet with a curse. He stepped into sick room and emerged a short while later with a flustered Yukihira at his heels and a snarling old woman in his grasp.

"A thousand curses on you! Unhand me this instant!" The woman spat. "Yamaguchi Emiko is no fraud. I'm a genuine spirit medium! Unhand me!" Nanami released the livid old crone at the threshold of their house. Kyu and Ryu exchanged worried glances. Offending a known witch could be trouble and the healer looked the part with her ancient looks, slightly dishevelled hair and strings of beads and bells. Yukihira was apologizing profusely. Katagiri was ticking Nanami off and the commotion between Dan's housekeeper and right-hand man was escalating into a full quarrel. Obviously, the healer was Katagiri's idea.

"I never in my life have been treated in this manner since Saitou Hajime…" Kyu ears pricked up as the old crone ranted at stubborn young men with no respect for their elders.

**Author's Notes:**

Yahoo, another chapter done. Who's the killer, the mysterious visitor Sakamoto was expecting?


	12. Chapter 12

Disclaimer: All the Detective School Q, Rurouni Kenshin and Peacemaker Kurogane characters belong to their respective creators. Slight OOC-ness expected. AU.

**Chapter 12**

"I don't trust mediums or other such charlatans…" Nanami sulked. "Yamaguchi Emiko is not a charlatan," Katagiri insisted. "In fact, I think we could use her help on this…"

"As in a séance? Ask Sakamoto-sama for his testimony?" Nanami's voice dripped sarcasm. Katagiri retaliated by tossing a bowl at Nanami, which he deftly ducked. Ryu and Kyu knelt to the side as the watched their elders squabble. Their stonewalled investigation into Sakamoto's murder and Dan's continued illness was taking its toll on all of them. It didn't help that the authorities, Ishin and Miburou were hiding things from them.

"I know a fraud when I see one," Nanami grated. "My late parents used to do those fancy chanting and talismans…"

"And have you dress up like a demon or fox spirit to be exorcised," Katagiri continued.

"Saitou was with Emiko on the night of the murders, conducting an exorcism. He's her grandnephew, even though he wouldn't admit it openly, she said so in her rant," Kyu pointed out. "He does seem to know what happened, but it may be that he's psychic… Maybe we could ask Emiko-san or Saitou-san to ask Sakamoto-sama directly…"

"Kyu, testimony from a spirit will be thrown out of court," Yukihira pointed out as she stepped in. "Uncle is breathing better now. He is sleeping." Katagiri moved into the kitchen.

"It's all down to opportunity, isn't it? Sakamoto and his men are wary of any bakufu outfit, especially the Shinsengumi. One, Sakamoto was killed by someone he trusted enough to be unarmed in his presence. He was cleaning his guns. His secretary was getting refreshments. Two, someone important enough for him to get up despite a bad cold. Three, someone whose identity he wanted to keep secret," Ryu summarised. "This person was also a relatively skilled swordsman of a height which allows him to use his katana with ease in that low-roofed building. Based on Himura's observations, Nakaoka was on his feet when he struck from behind."

"All the Ishin bigwigs have alibis to back them up. Saigo's been in Satsuma since last month. Katsura and Okubo were at a meeting that night… anyway, none of them, or their closest followers, would strike an unarmed man or a man from behind. It isn't samurai-like. Even Battousai and the Shinsengumi are known to challenge their opponents first," Nanami pointed out. "Unless they employed a ninja to do their dirty work…"

"A ninja would show better planning," Ryu said. He cast a glance in Kyu's direction. Kyu was deep in thought.

"Ryu, don't forget the Shinsengumi captain… there were few reports of other violent deaths or sword-related injuries suffered on that night was there?" Kyu frowned. "A captain would be a skilled fighter. He wouldn't have gone down without putting up a fight. His opponent would have been wounded… Toudou's death was not instantaneous."

Nanami nodded in agreement. "Few swordsmen could kill a Shinsengumi man without suffering some form of injury."

"There was no way he could have covered the distance from the murder scene to the river. Moreover, both Sakamoto and Nakaoka had no chance to draw their swords. If they had been forced to draw swords, it would be a fight to the death."

Kyu slapped his thigh. "I know! There was someone else who was wounded, fairly badly too…"

Ryu nodded. "I think you have the motive, opportunity and suspect, but all evidence here is circumstantial. Moreover, our prime suspect is currently missing and has both Itou's faction and the Ishin after him."

"Nanami-san, could we get help to look for that person?" Kyu asked. "We need to find him before anyone else does."

* * *

Picking her way past the cemetery, a bent figure entered the solitary hut tucked up beside the Mibu temple. Yamguchi Emiko placed her bag on the low table and lit the lamp. Light filled her dim shack with its ofuda-lined walls. Urns, bowls and bundles of odd herbs littered the tattered tatami mats. A blanket-covered form against the far wall stirred. The medium crackled softly.

"You can't run forever, boy…"

The form whimpered fearfully. The old crone hobbled over to her charge. The eyes were open and fearful. The white-knuckled hands still clutched the blanket.

"Tell you what, I'll call my grandnephew. Hajime will know what laws govern samurai…" She did not see the figure crawl out from under the blanket and pick up a heavy urn from the floor. A swift and forceful crack split the old medium's skull open.

* * *

"I absolutely refuse to see a medium, not since that medium Fujita Goro tried to skewer me at that Soba Place!" a redhead youth protested. Still, he could leave a group of women unescorted at this hour, even if a number of them were kunoichi.

"Come on, Ken. If you can't even visit her grave, you seriously need to speak to her in spirit," Umeko nudged. "Maybe Ryouma's spirit could tell us who killed him." The restaurant's waitresses nodded in agreement as they followed their mistress. Their faces told Kenshin that they had regretted their decision to accompany Aunt Umeko on her midnight visit to the medium.

"As in a séance?" Kenshin's brow furrowed as he pictured them holding hands while the medium called up the dead.

"She's in," Megumi noted the light from the window. She rapped on the door and was surprised when it swung open. The stench of blood hit Kenshin. He clutched his sword, ready. Several of the waitresses screamed.

A solitary lamp flickered in the hut. The old medium was sprawled on the tatami. Blood and brain matter oozed from her shattered skull. A cracked urn stained with blood lay nearby. Kenshin drew his sword and entered while the others waited. A few of the waitress drew their shuriken and kunai. Umeko pulled Megumi close behind her. Megumi was not too surprised when she pulled out a dagger from her belt.

"He's gone," Kenshin announced. A kunoichi was sent for Dan's residence. Another was sent for the local watch.

"Himura-san. Something is wrong…" Megumi's eyes spotted the pile of bedding in the corner. "Most people roll up their bedding after getting up. The medium has just returned from a job, hasn't she?"

The old crone was dressed. Mud from the cemetery clung to her sandals. Kenshin looked curiously at a piled blanket. He gingerly felt it. "Warm." They had just missed the killer. The blood stain on the mats was still wet. "Blood." He pointed out a stain on the blanket, separate from those on the mats. A length of grimy bandage peeked out from under the bedding.

**Author's Notes:**

Another murder. I think most readers should guess who the killer is now. We have another death.

About that Soba Place incident, it was taken from my PMK fic New Kyoto Post. It is a rather silly story on my part. Why Saitou's murderous intent in Kamiya dojo a decade later? Besides the Shinsengumi's animosity towards Battousai… One day during the Bakumatsu, Kenshin drops by the Soba Place to get in touch with the late Tomoe via spirit medium Fujita aka a moonlighting Saitou. He gets challenged and retaliates in a katana-free method, dealing poor Saitou a kick to his jaw, which incidentally broke his jawbone and put him on a porridge diet for a while.


	13. Chapter 13

Disclaimer: All the Detective School Q, Rurouni Kenshin and Peacemaker Kurogane characters belong to their respective creators. Slight OOC-ness expected. AU.

**Chapter 13**

The sound of dripping water roused him. He had been running for too long. He was hungry and in pain where his wounds had torn open. When he opened his eyes, he was astonished to find he was not alone in the derelict water mill. A figure towered over him, the morning light glinting off pale hair. He couldn't make out the features. He could make out the crude travelling cloak, and white hair tied in a braid carelessly lying down one shoulder like a girl's.

"Well, well, there is a bounty out there for your head I would be glad to claim," the voice that spoke was icy. Sunlight glinted off the sword as it was raised. Then darkness…

* * *

"How hard can it be to find one young man?" Kinta exclaimed as he peered under yet another bridge. _Especially if that person has a head of white hair for his age…_

"Is that him?" Kazuma called out and pointed down a street where a white-haired boy was speaking to an army officer at the bakufu volunteer army recruitment booth. Kinta ran up and placed a hand on the boy's shoulder. "Excuse me!" The boy turned and Kinta knew he had the wrong lad. He was not as dark as their suspect. The boy slapped his hand away. The army officer coughed, annoyed at the interruption.

"So, Yukishiro Enishi, have you made up your mind?"

"Yes sir," the boy reached out and signed the paper which Kintaro guessed will doom him to a short life and a hasty end. "You signing up too?" the army officer asked Toyama. "No thanks, I'm already employed…" Kinta scooted away. The last thing he wanted was to be drafted into the army. Being a night watchman was dangerous enough.

"Not him…" Kinta said when he caught up with the page. Kazuma was working at Katsura's for now, since Katsura's page had been reassigned duties. "We have no hard evidence linking him to the crime, even if he did do it… I suppose the standard practice will be to force a confession out of him using torture… but that is unreliable…" Kazuma cleaned his glasses with a corner of his sleeve. "I hope the others found some evidence we could use…"

"Hey, mister! Someone says to pass this to you!" a scrawny urchin with a rooster-head hairdo ran to Kinta and shoved a scrap of paper into his hand. The boy sprinted off. Kinta unfolded the paper.

"Kazu, what does it say?"

"_Go to the old water mill now. Careful, cornered dogs bite... Bunny-boy…"_ Kazuma read. "It reads like a code from one of Sakamoto-sama's friends.

* * *

At the late Sakamoto's residence, Kenshin escorted his three younger companions in. The murderer had claimed another victim the night before and there was no way he would allow the trio back with his protection. The scene had been left very much as it was. Kazuma had taken some of the letters and books from the room, but otherwise it was untouched. No one had gotten round to cleaning the stains off the tatami or walls yet.

"He's in big trouble for hurting Katsura-sama's sister and the fraud thing… the Ishin may want to cut a deal with him if he would testify against Itou…" Kenshin remarked. Megumi lingered out in the corridor with Kenshin. The stench of decay was getting to her. Both Ryu and Kyu entered the crime scene again, searching carefully for some telltale clue.

"Hey, look at this!" Kyu pointed at the tatami near the table. He gingerly picked up a tiny chip of reddish stone. "Ryu? See anything this may have been chipped from?"

The other boy shook his head. "What did you find?" Megumi asked. Kyu showed her their find. "I think I saw something like this before… back at Umeya," Megumi replied. Kenshin suddenly gripped his sword hilt and stepped forward, placing himself between the others and a possible threat. He drew his blade out of the sheath by a fraction of an inch.

"Saitou…" Kenshin hissed as his nemesis stepped into the house. Saitou was dressed in uniform and he was not alone. Just outside were Nagakura Shinpachi and Ichimura Tetsunosuke. The page was also wearing the Shinsengumi's distinctive haori, although his had been tied back at the sleeves to fit his smaller build.

"Returning to the scene of the crime, Battousai?" Nagakura hissed and made as if he would draw his sword. Saitou's hand stayed at his hip, ready to draw his blade if the situation needed it. Kenshin gritted his teeth. If both Saitou and Nagakura were to attack, the narrow passageway would not only hamper their attack, it would also hamper his own escape and that of his companions. Another Miburou restrained Nagakura with a hand on the shoulder.

"Mou, we are here to clear Harada's name, not challenge Battousai…" a weak voice called out. Okita Souji, pale as a sheet, leaned heavily on the page. It would have taken most of his strength to make it so far. The invalid managed a weak smile. "Truce for now, alright? Please come outside, the smell of blood, it makes me sick…" The two other captains backed out into the open air.

With a audible sigh of sheer relief, the younger teens left the room in which they had sought refuge. Kenshin let his sword slid back into its sheath. Soon they were all out in the open, sitting outside Umeya.

"Toshi wanted to go but he and Kondo-san had to go out on business about Harada's involvement in the murders," Okita explained. The colour had returned to his face after some rest and possibly a generous helping of Umeko's speciality red-bean pancakes. "Sano will never slash someone from the back, also he uses a spear," Nagakura explained. "The weapon is wrong… Sano can't fight his way out of a paper bag with a sword." Tetsu swallowed his takoyaki. "He's wicked with a spear though…" he added in defence of the captain's fighting prowess.

Saitou remained sullen. No doubt he had been informed of his grandaunt's violent death. An uneasy tension hung between Kenshin and Saitou, one that did not go unnoticed by the others.

"What's taking Megumi so long?" Kyu whined. "Found it!" Megumi emerged from the restaurant with a small bag. "Kitamura left this behind after he…"

"Nearly killed Aunt Umeko," a strident voice called out. They recognized Nami, Umeya's head waitress. With her were Hougou, Kinta and Kazuma. "We caught something by the old water-mill," she announced as Hougou emptied the sack he was carrying over his back. Out tumbled a dark-skinned boy with spiky white hair who was bound hand and foot and gagged for good measure. A dark bruise showed on the back of his neck where he had been hit with something long and thin.

"Kitamura Suzu, you have a lot of explaining to do…" Umeko greeted them, hands on her hips. "Is Bunny-boy off to Aizu for real this time?" she asked Nami. The waitress laughed. "Not likely, His Lordship of Aizu just discovered some really interesting letters between Bunny and his youngest daughter. So I guess he's moving over to Nagasaki or Satsuma until things blow over."

"Who exactly is Bunny-boy?" Kazuma asked. "We went to the watermill and find our main suspect tied up. Is it one of our people?" Saitou lifted an eyebrow. Okita chuckled softly.

"Is he Mizukami Saizou?" Kyu asked. Nami nodded as she manhandled a livid Kitamura indoors with Hougou's aid. "Keep him locked up this time, will you?" Nami shouted to a burly waiter.

"What makes you think our mysterious helper is that weird swordsman?" Kinta asked. "One, the name Bunny-boy, reminded me of a nickname Tetsu has. If this nickname originated in the Shinsengumi, there was only one swordsman whose physical description resembled a white rabbit with red eyes," Kyu explained. "Secondly, Okita-san and Saitou-san's reactions just now. My guess is that they know the real name of Bunny-boy. Three, Mizukami has gone to this sweet shop before. He gave us a bag of sweet plums from Umeya at the cemetery. In fact, based on the way Aunt Umeko and Nami speak of him, he is a regular here."

"You're right on that, boy. Mizukami was one of our best customers, after Okita-san, of course," Umeko said as bustled about. "And he always talks about upcoming raids when he gets drunk on the sake jelly plums," she added wickedly.

"I'm going to skewer the double-crossing rat…" Saitou muttered. He had found the leak in the Shinsengumi and he had thought all along it was one of the Ichimura brothers getting too chummy with Sakamoto.

Megumi searched through the contents of the bag and took out a small item. "Look!" she touched Kyu on the shoulder. "Megu, you got it!" Kyu gave an excited cry and hugged Megumi.

"Hey! Hands off!" Megumi complained but she did not push Kyu away.

**Author's Notes:**

Everything is falling into place.


	14. Chapter 14

Disclaimer: All the Detective School Q, Rurouni Kenshin and Peacemaker Kurogane characters belong to their respective creators. Slight OOC-ness expected. AU.

**Chapter 14**

Everyone had gathered in one of Umeya's special rooms, which were normally used for special occasions. Dan Morihiko had surprisingly, recovered during the night and was present. He was accompanied by his manservant Nanami and Hougou the town watchman. The prisoners, Harada Sanosuke and Kitamura Suzu knelt, hands bound behind their backs. They were watched over by Saitou Hajime and Himura Kenshin respectively. Both swordsmen had agreed grudgingly to a temporary truce.

The Shinsengumi were represented by Vice-chief Hijikata and Captains Okita and Nagakura. Accompanying them were the Ichimura brothers in their respective capacity as scribe and page. The Itou faction was represented by a few of Itou's men, who were convinced that Sakamoto had been murdered by the Shinsengumi. Itou himself was conspicuously absent. The Katsura siblings represented the Ishin faction and they were well protected by the ninja-trained waitresses, who went about their business of serving tea to the other parties.

Kyu and Ryu exchanged glances. They had not been expecting this big a turnout. Kazuma knelt beside the Katsura siblings, acting as their scribe. Kinta stood by the door, in case of trouble. Megumi, being a waitress of Umeya, poured tea for Aunt Umeko before excusing herself. She had other duties in the kitchen to attend to.

"I trust this will not be waste of our valuable time dealing with you," one of the Itou faction snorted in disdain. "We shall begin," Dan nodded at Ryu, who immediately started.

"On the night of the murders of Sakamoto Ryoma and his secretary, he was expecting a visitor of some importance, not as an individual, but to a very sensitive issue involving the honour of the Ishin faction."

"You mean Katsura's fat old sister?" one of the Itou faction cracked a lewd joke and was immediately silenced by a killer glare from Kenshin and all the attendant waitresses. He yelped in pain and fled as one waitress casually emptied the boiling pot of tea on his head. Ryu coughed and continued. "Sakamoto had previously made a trip with Katsura Umeko with the purpose of investigating some discrepancies in the Ishin's accounts. What they found was that someone had been forging Katsura's signature and seal to approve the purchase of items using Choushu funds."

"Kitamura Suzu, was previously a Choushu page, but switched over to the Itou faction after the death of his former master. Under his new master's instructions, he participated in a ploy which was eventually found out by Sakamoto. Instead of outing him before the rest of the Ishin leaders, he may have tried to give him a second chance." Kyu said.

"Kitamura Suzu is guilty of drawing a sword on my sister when she discovered incriminating evidence linking him to the forgeries," Katsura interrupted. "In addition, he is currently a suspect in the ongoing investigation into the murder of a local medium…" Saitou added calmly, omitting the fact that the said victim was his grandaunt.

"Wasn't Harada at the Sakamoto murder scene too?" someone from the Itou faction asked.

"Yes, but he arrived after the murders, Harada is a spear fighter. He would not have used a sword to commit the murders. What's more, given his height and built, fighting in that low ceiling room would be difficult," Ryu pointed out. "He wouldn't have needed to surprise the secretary by attacking from behind him as he entered the room. He is large enough to overpower the secretary in a face-to-face fight. Also, given Sakamoto's feelings towards the bakufu, he would never have met a member of the Shinsengumi unarmed. Sakamoto was unarmed when he was meeting this visitor and both victims showed no signs of having a chance to defend themselves."

"That's right!" Harada exclaimed. "When I got there, they were already dead and, well, I sorta freaked out…" the large man looked a little embarrassed.

"I was never at Sakamoto's, besides I was seriously wounded…" Kitamura cut in. "I admit to drawing a sword on Umeko-san because I was scared. And that forgery thing was all Itou-san's idea!" He glared in the direction of the Itou faction. "How could I be the killer if I never went to Sakamoto's place? How did I get injured if they never fought back?"

"There was a swordfight nearby on that same night … You were involved in that one as well…." Okita quietly accused. "Perhaps a bit of Toshi's special treatment will cure his stubbornness …" the normally mild-mannered young man turned to his vice-chief. Hijikata Toshizou nodded. Torture was after all, a normal practice as far as he was concerned. "Children, women and anyone with a weak heart or stomach may leave the room."

"Wait, we don't have to resort to that!" Dan called out.

"Dan-sensei is right. We have proof that puts Kitamura at the crime scene," Kyu cried out and scrambled to his feet. He placed a few seals on the tatami so that all could see them. "This one is Itou's seal. These two others bear Katsura's name. The one on the right is the forgery… We found this shard of stone in the tatami in Sakamoto-san's study. Please look at the seal and the shard."

"They are the same colour…" Katsura Kogoro frowned. "Not only that, this shard matches the chip in the corner of this particular seal. The chip is also fresh as the broken edges are not yet smoothened out," Kyu continued. "Sakamoto-san was trying to help you."

"Help?" Kitamura laughed bitterly. "He wanted to destroy me! If word of what I did get out, I'll be the laughing stock of town. I'll be disgraced. It is bad enough I had to work for that snake Itou since none of you Ishin chaps want me around. You never wanted me or my late master around… Yoshida-sama was always arguing with Katsura, or Saigo, or Sakamoto… You guys cut deals behind his back all the time while he was alive. You hated him. Why would Sakamoto help me, Yoshida's student?"

"You didn't have to kill Sakamoto-sama!" Kazuma shouted. "All Sakamoto-sama wanted was to help… It doesn't matter if your teacher is Yoshida or Hijikata. He didn't care for which school you came from or where you were born! Because, he's that kind of person. If he decides he would help you, he would… he could have easily informed Katsura or the others and let them deal with you, but he didn't." Kauzma paused to catch his breath.

"What a pack of lies!" Kitamura snorted. "Suzu, quit it!" It was Tetsu who spoke. "Ryoma's not as bad as you think him to be. He helped me and my bro a few times. Ryoma went out of his way to keep the meeting secret. Even Kazuma and I did not know who he was meeting. He was a great guy."

"I hate him," Kitamura said quietly. "He's always showing off those foreign ways he picked up. He's a disgrace for true samurai to associate with… I'm not going to deny it anymore. I killed them. Sakamoto, his secretary, that Shinsengumi man and that old crone…"

"Why did you kill Toudou?" Captain Nagakura asked. "Wrong place, wrong time? If he hadn't tried to stop me when I was fleeing… maybe he saw the blood on my clothes and got a bit too nosy for his own good," Kitamura said. "I killed him in an old-fashioned swordfight like a true samurai would."

"Well, so you claim to be a samurai?" Dan asked. "A samurai will never draw his sword on an unarmed man or woman for that matter…" He faced the others. "I believe this matter has been resolved through the evidence produced and Kitamura's confession. Would the Itou faction wish to take this matter to the court since it involves one of yours?"

"He's got nothing to do with us!" The Itou faction left post-haste. "He's a Choushu man by birth," Katsura Kogoro said quietly. "I offer him the choice of taking his punishment as will be dealt by the law or claiming the privilege of a samurai to seppuku. Would our local peacekeepers have any objection?"

"None what so ever," Hijikata lit his pipe. Both Saitou and Kenshin freed there respective prisoners from their bonds. Harada rubbed his sore wrists and re-joined his comrades. Okita was badgering one of the waitresses for more sweets while his vice-chief bemoaned the waste of good money on such frivolities.

"Your choice, Kitamura Suzu?" Kenshin addressed his prisoner.

"Seppuku," Kitamura's voice was flat.

* * *

The next morning…

"He's dead. Committed seppuku at first light," Megumi said as she shared a sushi platter with Kyu and Ryu in Umeya. Kazuma was busy packing so that he could follow Katsura Kogoro to Tosa. Kinta had patrol duty. "Was it messy?" Kyu asked apprehensively.

"Yes, but I didn't witness it. Umeko made them carry it out in a field outside town instead since blood never really washes out of tatami. Himura witnessed it. He had the job of cutting off Kitamura's head after he's done slicing open his belly," she said matter-of-factly. "If you want the details, you could ask him, but he's in a foul mood. Himura hates killing…" she pointed in the direction of the redhead who was drinking some sake.

"Gee, thanks…" Kyu decided not to risk it. "Hey, Ryu got himself a girl-friend," Kyu nudged Megumi and pointed. Ryu was talking to a young girl. A veil covered much of her face.

"Risa, tell Grandfather we solved the case this time," Ryu whispered. "I know. But next time, you may not be so lucky. So what's this about Dan's recovery?" Risa sucked on a cherry.

"Risa, tell Grandfather, I wish to remain at Dan's place. I don't want to go…" Ryu whispered hastily. Kyu was getting suspicious and looking their way.

"Ryu, this is the message from Grandfather. He has disowned you since you haven't sent back any useful information since you started work at Dan's. But we'll be in touch…" Risa stood up and glided away soundlessly.

"Aw, Ryu got blown off…" Kyu exclaimed and slipped his hand into Megumi's.

**Author's Notes:**

This is the last chapter. The murder in Kyoto fanfic is over. I did a triple crossover, now where do I post it in the crossovers?


End file.
